Harry Potter and the Casket of Life
by Zandramas
Summary: MAJOR CHANGES! READ ALL 2 UNDERSTAND! Harry finds out he has a twin sis, there will be eventual romance (NOT between the twins [thanks, kat!]), new characters, old characters, read please! PG-13 for language.
1. WHAT!

A/N: **MAJOR CHANGES!!!!!** If you haven't read this since I updated on July 21, read the whole story again!!!!! I changed a TON of stuff, and there are major OotP spoilers so if you haven't read the 5th book (I don't know why you wouldn't have read it by mow! It's been a month!!), then don't read this fic until you do, or you'll be in for a few surprises!!!!!  
  
Chapter 1: WHAT?!  
  
As Melissa McKinnon walked downstairs to her family's kitchen, the pretty British redhead had no idea that, soon, she would get news that would drastically change her life. The fifteen-year-old had recently turned sixteen. At the end of July, in fact. She would also be going into her sixth year at Sullivan's Academy of the Wizarding Arts.  
  
"Hey, Mum, has the mail come yet?" Melissa asked her mother. "Caysie was supposed to owl me today."  
  
Elizabeth McKinnon walked away from the window.  
  
"No, not yet. It should be coming soon," the raven-haired young woman said. She tied her medium-length hair back in a low ponytail before returning to cutting up fruit for their breakfast.  
  
Melissa sat down in a chair at her kitchen table and began to eat the breakfast that was spread out on the table. The meal consisted of bacon strips, pancakes, and sliced bananas, blueberries, and strawberries. At that moment, the mail came.  
  
"Ooh!" Melissa frantically chewed the mouthful of bacon as she reached to untie the letters from the various owls. She took the ones addressed to her, giving the bills and the Daily Prophet to her parents. Her letters included a letter from her best friend, Caysie Johnson, and a letter from her school. She eagerly opened Caysie's letter and read it, eating her pancakes along the way.  
  
Dear Lissie,  
  
What's up, girl? I'm having tons of fun in Hawaii. I miss you so much, though! I wish you could be here with me. Some of the native girls are really stuck-up. There's this one girl, Kaiulani, she's a direct descendant of one of the last queens before the US started governing Hawaii. Despite this tiny little fact, she's really cool. You'd probably like her.  
  
Oh my gosh, you should see the native guys. They are soooo HOT!!! Emilie would be in seventh heaven here. Mind you, even though she's got her boyfriend, what's-his-name, Brendan, she'd be having the time of her life.  
  
Have you gotten your letter from Sullivans yet? I have. It says we have a new Muggle Studies teacher, as well as a new Arithmancy teacher and Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Anyway, my mom says I've got to wrap up this letter. My mom says I have to wrap up this letter. Give my love to Liz and Jeff.  
  
Love ya, hon!  
  
Your best friend always,  
  
Caysie  
  
Melissa smiled as she reread that part in the letter about another one of her and Caysie's close friends, Emilie. It was true, she was boy-crazy, although she denied it. She then relayed Caysie's message to her mom, and also to her dad when he walked in. Jeffrey McKinnon was tall, muscular, and handsome with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes.  
  
"Did you get your letter from Sullivan's yet?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I've got it right here," Melissa answered, waving the thick piece of parchment. She opened it to find the traditional list of supplies and a note from the Deputy Headmistress.  
  
"Headmaster McDonald retired," she said, talking about the old, feeble wizard that had previously been in charge. "Now Professor Connors is Headmistress."  
  
"Really?" Her father was intrigued at this statement. McDonald had been Headmaster when he went to Sullivan's.  
  
"Yeah. Listen." Melissa cleared her throat before she began to read.  
  
Dear Students and Parents,  
  
I regret to say that our beloved Headmaster, Richard McDonald decided that it was time for him to leave our beautiful school and pursue a more quiet life. Several of our teachers have left, also. Professor Luc Stevenson, Professor of Muggle Studies; Professor Anthony MacGregor, Professor of Arithmancy; and Professor Shelbie Wood, Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, have all left. Please keep our much-loved teachers in your thoughts as they travel on to new adventures. We look forward to seeing you students, old and new, in the upcoming school year.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Professor Aimee Connors  
  
Melissa looked up in time to see her parents silently arguing over a letter that had just arrived.  
  
"Hey, who's that for?" Melissa asked curiously.  
  
Her parents immediately stopped arguing at this question, hiding the letter behind their backs.  
  
"N—nothing. Why do you ask?" they answered guiltily, their smiles strained.  
  
"Well, when I finished reading Connors' letter—"  
  
"Professor Connors," Liz corrected.  
  
"Whatever. When I finished reading it, you two were fighting over that letter. So who's it for?" Melissa pressed.  
  
Liz and Jeff sighed in defeat, realizing their daughter didn't miss a thing.  
  
"Okay. It's for you. But, before you read it we have some pretty shocking news for you," Jeff said gently.  
  
"Keep going, I'm listening," Melissa said as her parents paused.  
  
"First of all, we're moving down to London. Second of all, we're…not your parents. We're your aunt and uncle."  
  
Melissa slowly registered this information and could only utter one word.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Well, when you were born, you had a twin brother, older than you by 4 minutes. About a year later, You-Know-Who came for your brother and killed your parents along the way. He didn't know you lived. You-Know-Who thought you were stillborn. Anyway, You-Know who came to your family's house one night, looking for your brother to try and kill him, thinking that he was fulfilling a prophecy. Your mother sacrificed herself to save you and her son, your brother. Because You-Know-Who wasn't following the…rules, I guess, your twin was able to defeat him and bring some decorum of peace and relief for thirteen years to the wizarding world. You're brother received a scar, a mark that branded him as an equal of You-Know- Who. When your mother died, you were also protected by her sacrifice, which is why you're with us today," Liz said, smiling and grasping Melissa's hand.  
  
Jeff picked up the story at this point.  
  
"Your godfather, Remus Lupin, thinking your brother died, brought you here, where he knew you would be safe. Only he, your brother's godfather, Sirius Black, and Albus Dumbledore knew about you. Dumbledore then sent Hagrid, his school's gamekeeper, to get your twin. He was sent to live with his aunt and uncle on your mother's side. We've recently gotten word it would be safer to bring you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where you would also attend and be in your sixth year, just like at Sullivan's."  
  
"Who…what is my brother's name?" Melissa asked tentatively.  
  
Melissa's parents—no, aunt and uncle exchanged worried looks before answering her.  
  
"Your twin brother's name is…Harry Potter. Your real name is Melissa LilyAnne Potter."  
  
At this statement, the room around Melissa began to spin and her eyesight got incredibly blurry. Then everything went black.  
  
A/N: This fic used to be posted under the title Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but when the real OotP book came out, I kind of lost all interest in writing that same fic. So I'm changing a few things in the story to make it Harry's and everyone else's sixth year. Hope you enjoyed it so far!!!!!!! 


	2. Diagon Alley and Hogwarts

Chapter 2: Diagon Alley and Hogwarts  
  
A/N: I don't know how to have italics on FanFiction. But I'm going to put them in anyway. If they show up, tell me!!! If they don't show up and you know how, drop me a line!!!!  
  
Melissa and her parents—wait, no—now her aunt and uncle had left for London several weeks later (they had to tie up a few loose ends) where they had met an elderly woman who was introduced to Melissa as Arabella Figg, an old friend of her aunt, uncle, and parents. When Melissa asked, Mrs. Figg explained that she was not a witch but a Squib. They were taken to Mrs. Figg's home on 15 Wisteria Walk, in Little Whinging, Surrey. On the way, Mrs. Figg had started to talk to Melissa.  
  
"So, you're going to be attending Hogwarts?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah. Apparently, I'm going to be starting as a sixth year," Melissa answered. Then a worrisome thought struck her. "What if they're all so ahead of me, I'll have to go back to fifth year?"  
  
"Don't worry, dear. There's a boy, just several blocks over, who is going to be in your year. I'll see if he can come over when he gets back from his friend's house, so you know someone at Hogwarts. If you need it—which I doubt—he can help you catch up. I'm not sure if he'll be able, too, though, his guardians are very strict."  
  
Melissa didn't get a chance to meet Mrs. Figg's neighbor, but a week or so after they arrived in Little Whinging, Melissa saw him from a distance on the street during one of her daily walks, although she didn't get a chance to introduce herself. She saw him with a large, beefy man with a huge mustache and purple face, a thin, horselike woman with twice the amount of normal neck, and an enormous teen the size of a whale.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Melissa went with her aunt Liz and uncle Jeff to get all of her magical supplies at Diagon Alley. She was still in major shock from the realization that the life and parents she had once known was all a fraud.  
  
"Okay, what should we get first?" her aunt said cheerfully after they had left Gringotts, wizarding money in hand.  
  
"Um, well, my list says that I need Hogwarts robes," Melissa said uncertainly. She checked the supply list for about the eighth time in five minutes.  
  
"Lets see," Jeff said. He shielded his eyes from the sun and looked around until he spotted what he was looking for. "Ah, look, over there. 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions', we should be able to find you some robes there," he said, pointing the small building.  
  
Melissa, Liz, and Jeff decided that Melissa would go into Madam Malkin's to get her robes while Liz and Jeff went and got her books at Flourish and Blotts. Melissa walked nervously into the robe shop and saw six teens about her age screaming and arguing with each other at the top of their lungs.  
  
"You're such a prick, Malfoy!" screamed one brown-haired girl.  
  
"At least I'm not a filthy Mudblood!" An enraged pale-faced boy threw this disgusting insult back at her. Melissa could only assume this boy was Malfoy. As she looked at the other group, she saw that the brunette and another boy with jet-black hair that looked slightly familiar had to grab a redhead's arms with both hands to prevent him from jumping down Malfoy's throat. At that particular moment, an otherwise cheerful witch with a firm face on walked into the room.  
  
"All right, all right, break it up. I'm not having my shop turning into some…wrestling ring. Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle, either leave the store and wait outside or leave the store and go buy some of your other supplies, but I will not have you and this group in here at the same time," she said.  
  
"Why do *we* have to leave?" Malfoy said. "Why can't *Potter* leave?" he added with contempt.  
  
Melissa realized, with this sneer, that she was standing just several feet away from her twin! She began to stare at him, unconsciously studying his features. He was raven-haired with deep emerald eyes, exactly like hers. The boy was wearing wire-rim glasses and his hair settled haphazardly over his forehead, though she could partially still see his lightening bolt- shaped scar, which was also much like hers. The witch said nothing, she only pointed at the door, which the three boys walked through, grumbling. The witch then turned to the remaining teens, showed them up onto stools, and turned to Melissa.  
  
"Hello, dear. Hogwarts?"  
  
Melissa could only nod in reply.  
  
"So are these children. Here, dear, step up on a stool, I'll be right back." At that, she disappeared through a doorway into a back room. Melissa looked nervously over at the other teens. She found them looking at her with a great deal of curiosity.  
  
"Is this your first year at Hogwarts?" said the redhead.  
  
"Yeah, but I'm going in as a sixth year. I'm transferring from the Sullivan's Academy for the Wizarding Arts. It's in Ireland," she added at the sight of their confused faces.  
  
"I'm Hermione, and this is Ron and Harry," said the brunette, pointing first at herself, then at the redhead and her twin in turn.  
  
"I'm Melissa."  
  
They continued talking as Madam Malkin took their measurements and gave them their robes. By the time they were leaving, Ron, the redhead, had already given her several nicknames. A couple of them were Mel, Lissa, Lissie, and Ireland, his favorite being Ireland. The four of them left the shop and very nearly ran into Melissa's aunt and uncle.  
  
"Oh, Aunt Liz, Uncle Jeff, this is Hermione, Ron, and Harry. You guys, this is my aunt and uncle, Liz and Jeff," Melissa said, pointing to each of her new friends and her relatives in turn. "We met in Madam Malkin's while getting our robes. They're going to be sixth years at Hogwarts, too." Just then, Hermione's parents walked up to them.  
  
"Mum, Dad, this is Melissa and her aunt and uncle. Melissa's going to be a sixth year at Hogwarts, too. She transferred here from the —what was it? —Sullivan's Academy for the Wizarding Arts," Hermione said.  
  
As it seemed Melissa was comfortable with Harry, Hermione, and Ron; Liz, Jeff, and Hermione's parents decided to let them wander around for several hours while getting their school supplies. The adults headed out to The Leaky Cauldron for a drink.  
  
"Hey, Ireland! Come here, my mum and dad want to meet you!" Ron called from among five other people, all with shocking red hair. Melissa, Harry, and Hermione ran over to Ron and his family.  
  
"Melissa, this is my mum and dad, my little sister Ginny, and my older brothers, Fred and George. They're twins." Ron smiled wryly as he introduced his brothers to Melissa.  
  
After Melissa had been introduced to the Weasleys, she, Ron, Harry, and Hermione went off to get an ice cream at the Florean Fortesque's Ice Cream Parlor. Before they realized it, Melissa needed to get home, Harry and Ron were being called to the Leaky Cauldron, where Ron was staying overnight and where Harry's aunt and uncle were waiting, by Ron's brothers and sisters, and Hermione and her parents needed to get home to see their relatives before Hermione went off to school. Melissa said good-bye to her new friends after making promises to meet up on the Hogwarts Express in two days. She, Liz, and Jeff then left Diagon Alley.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Two days later, Melissa went with her aunt and uncle to Kings' Cross Station to catch the school train. She had her trunk packed and a snowy white owl that Liz and Jeff had bought her as a birthday present. She had named the owl Lily. After she had put her stuff on the train, Melissa began looking around for her friends. She stumbled upon them quite accidentally, though.  
  
"Hey! Ireland! Where'd you put your stuff?" Ron called, juggling his trunk and his owl's cage while his brothers, Fred and George, each carried their own trunks.  
  
"Ron, she's got a name. And it's not Ireland!" Hermione said sternly when he started to reply irritably, "I'm calling her by a name!"  
  
"It's okay, Hermione, I don't mind," Melissa told her, giggling.  
  
"Fred? George? What are you two doing here?" Harry asked, once he arrived. The two adults exchanged wicked grins.  
  
"We bought a shop in Hogsmeade and, because we couldn't find a place to stay while we're here, he—can you believe this? —he offered us lodgings in the castle," Fred explained.  
  
"We're catching the train with you guys and then we're heading straight to our lot," George added. They then turned and went to go help Ginny with her things. Melissa and her new friends laughed and then went to the compartment she had saved.  
  
They spent about an hour or so talking about what Ireland and Sullivan's was like, then stopped to get food off of the cart. Melissa bought her all time favorite candy—Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans—along with some Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Licorice Wands, and Cauldron Cakes. They were still devouring their food when the compartment door slid open and Malfoy and the other two boys from Diagon Alley stepped in.  
  
"So, Potter, still hung up on your victory last year in the Tournament? Oh, and the fact that Diggory is dead?" Malfoy sneered. Melissa glanced sideways at Hermione while Harry glared daggers at the blonde invader; the brunette mouthed back to Melissa, "Later." Malfoy's eyes flicked over to Melissa. "Who're you?" he asked, his eyebrow raised.  
  
"Melissa…McKinnon," she replied. "Who're you?" she asked in the exact same voice and facial expression as Malfoy.  
  
"Draco Malfoy. And this is Crabbe and Goyle," he replied after glaring at Harry, Ron, and Hermione for laughing at Melissa's imitation of him. "Goody. Another Potter follower to torment. This year should be fun."  
  
"Don't count on it. I'm not an easy person to torment," Melissa told him, already disgusted. She got up, went to the door, and opened it, grabbing a startled Malfoy's arm along the way. "Bye-bye," she said perkily. "Uh, buh-bye. Yeah, buh-bye. Okay, yeah, see ya later. Bye-bye," Melissa added when Malfoy started protesting. She shoved him, Crabbe, and Goyle out the door, slammed the door in their astonished faces, and sat down, dusting off her hands.  
  
"Nice job, Melissa," Harry congratulated. Ron and Hermione praised her also; they said no one had ever stood up to Malfoy before; she was the first.  
  
"Thanks," she replied, blushing a bit at the praise. "So, I'm guessing you six have your—um—differences, am I right?"  
  
"No duh you're right, what gave you the first clue?" Harry asked wryly.  
  
Melissa gave him a stern look and rolled her eyes before continuing.  
  
"Why do you hate him so much?" Melissa asked.  
  
"Well, when we first met in our first year, he was a real jerk. He's done nothing but make our lives miserable for these past 5 years and I'm sure he'll do his best this year, too," Hermione told her. "Last year he evened threatened Harry after he got Malfoy's dad imprisoned in Azkaban."  
  
"You know, Hermione, that last part wasn't really necessary," Ron said matter-of-factly. "There's only one wizard prison in Western Europe and Lucius Malfoy definitely wouldn't be going to a Muggle prison, SO all you really needed to say was, 'Last ye—"  
  
"All right, Ron, we get it," Hermione interrupted loudly, rolling her eyes.  
  
By this time, they needed to change into their robes, so while Ron and Harry changed, Melissa and Hermione waited outside. After Harry and Ron were done, Hermione and Melissa went in and changed. When they finished, they had arrived at Hogwarts and had to get off the train.  
  
Melissa had been told beforehand that, once she reached the castle, she was to wait at the front steps for Dumbledore instead of entering with the rest of the students to the castle. She was starting to get anxious when a gentle hand was laid on her shoulder. She whirled around in surprise to see a wizard with crescent moon glasses and a long, silver beard smiling kindly at her.  
  
"Melissa, I assume? I'm the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. If you'll come with me, I believe you need to be sorted into your house."  
  
Melissa nervously followed him into the Great Hall and stood with him up at the High Table. She could see Harry, Ron, and Hermione smiling encouragingly at her.  
  
"Students, before we begin with the Sorting Ceremony, I have a special announcement that I would like to make. We have a new student starting in the sixth year. Her name is Melissa McKinnon. Melissa has transferred here from the Sullivan's Academy for Wizarding Arts, in Northern Ireland. I trust you will all make her feel right at home. Now, she must try on the Sorting Hat to see what house she belongs in. Melissa, if you please."  
  
At that statement, he motioned for Melissa to sit down on a three-legged stool while another teacher—Professor McGonagall, Melissa thought—brought up a frayed and patched wizards' hat. Melissa sat down on the stool and waited anxiously as Professor McGonagall placed the Hat on her head, covering her eyes completely.  
  
A/N: Tell me what you think!!!!!!!!! R/R, please!!!!!!! Suggestions, opinions, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism!!!!!!!! (I hate the other stuff…) 


	3. A Whole New World

Chapter 3: A Whole New World  
  
A/N: Sorry I went Aladdin there. Thought it would be cute! By the way, this (\/.\/) means Melissa's thoughts.  
  
Melissa could feel the stares of the rest of the student body as she sat of the wooden, three-legged stool, looking into the inside of the patched black hat.  
  
"Hmm, my, oh, my, so many aspects for so many houses. Where shall I put you?" The Hat whispered into her ear. "You're brave and daring, oh yes, much like good old Godric Gryffindor himself. I also see loyalty and patience (though not much) in you, the mark of a true Hufflepuff. You're obviously smart with a ready mind, as is any Ravenclaw. Yet I detect a bit of Slytherin House in you, with your cunning, sneakiness, and high achievements. And also.something I haven't seen in several years.a strong thirst to prove yourself. Interesting, very interesting."  
  
Melissa gripped the edges of the stool nervously, looking for support. \/Not Slytherin\/, she thought. \/Anything but Slytherin. \/  
  
"Well, well, not Slytherin, eh? You could be great there, you know, very great indeed it's all here in your head," the Hat replied, giving a derisive little laugh afterward.  
  
Melissa got the idea the Hat could hear what one was thinking. \/Anything but Slytherin. Anything\/, she said silently, putting emphasis on the last word.  
  
"Alright if you're sure (though I'm not sure I am), better be.RA-no, wait, HUFF-oops, uh, GRY-oh, dear, HUFF-no, no, no, um, RA-oh, dear, no, oh, uh, GRYFFINDOR!" Melissa heard the Hat shout out everything after 'better be'. Dumbledore then approached the stool and spoke to the Hat.  
  
"Is that your final answer?" he asked with an amused smile, repeating a line from a once-popular American quiz show. (A/N: Not anymore! Sorry, Regis.)  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat shouted again, the confidence in its voice rising steadily.  
  
"Then Gryffindor it is. Go ahead, Ms. McKinnon," Dumbledore stated, taking the Hat off of and helping a shaky Melissa down from the stool. Melissa hurried down the steps to where the four tables stood, packed with students. She wound their way through the tangle of legs, arm, and bodies to the Gryffindor table, where Ron, Harry, and Hermione were sitting.  
  
"Hey! Congratulations, Mel, but, are you okay? The Hat took an awfully long time on you," Harry asked worriedly, scooting over to make room for her. Melissa flashed him a quick, reassuring grin.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just another new experience since being told I'm coming here," Melissa replied wryly.  
  
"Melissa! Ooh, congratulations!" Hermione squealed.  
  
"Yeah, congratulations," Ron echoed. "But, why did the Hat take so long on you? The only other person I've seen it take that long on is Harry. What was it saying to you?"  
  
"Well, it was weird," Melissa replied, shaking her head. "It was saying how I had so many aspects for all of the houses. Like, I was resembled Godric Gryffindor and I had the mark of a true Hufflepuff and I was just like any Ravenclaw and how it could detect a bit of Slytherin House on me. But, then, it said the strangest thing."  
  
"What?" chorused the other three as the redhead paused.  
  
"It said-it said I had a strong thirst to prove myself and that it was 'interesting, very interesting' because it hadn't seen that in several years. Are you okay?" Melissa asked, alarmed, as Harry made a choking gasp.  
  
"Oh, uh, yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Harry replied. "It's just-well, that Hat said the same thing to me when I first tried it on five years ago."  
  
"Weird," Ron breathed after a moment. "Wait, you still remember that? I couldn't even remember the material that we learned for our O.W.L.s last year."  
  
"Shut up, Ron. D'you guys think it symbolizes something?" Hermione asked excitedly.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure it's just a coincidence," Melissa reassured nervously, playing with a long strand of hair. Just then the Sorting ended with "Zorollini, Marco" being sorted into Slytherin. After Professor McGonagall took away the Sorting Hat and stool, she stopped to speak with Dumbledore, before he made his start-of-term banquet speech.  
  
"Yeah but if it isn't, we can always go find and consult Professor Trelawney," Harry responded seriously, but with mischief twinkling in his emerald eyes. "She always knows the answers. Just ask Parvati and Lavender."  
  
Ron, Hermione, and Melissa stared open-mouthed at him for a moment before he grinned and they burst out laughing; Harry, Ron, and Hermione had told Melissa about the "Divination fraud-I mean, teacher", as Ron had said, on the train. They had also told her how Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, two other Gryffindor girls, "respect Professor Trelawney so much they practically worship the ground she walks on, whether it's real or.clairvoyant," Hermione had said, making her voice go all breathy and full of awe and admiration at the end.  
  
The pretty brunette had also explained about the absolutely horrid Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher last year, Dolores Umbridge, and how she just took over every aspect of normal Hogwarts life. She explained how Umbridge had fired Trelawney and also how, at the end of the year Dumbledore had rehired Trelawney after Umbridge had been expelled from the school. Melissa had signed up for Divination (along with the rest of the subjects Ron, Harry, and Hermione take) just to see this display of wonder and appreciation and also all of the death predictions the old bat makes up for Harry. Although they did not need to take it as all four of them wanted to be Aurors when they graduated, they were taking it to boost their grades so they received a passing grade.  
  
Dumbledore nodded as he finished talking to McGonagall and turned to the chattering scholars.  
  
"Students, welcome to a new year at Hogwarts," he said, beaming around at everyone. "A few reminders, though. No one is allowed in the Forbidden Forest, as is the same with Hogsmeade for all under third year. I'd also do good to advise you not to use the secret passages much. You never know who-or what-you may find there." At this announcement, his twinkling blue eyes flickered towards the Gryffindor table-or, more specifically, the fifth and sixth years who were close to the Weasleys. They all saw his glance and simultaneously broke out in identical evil grins.  
  
"Now, I have two words for you all: Smooth out. Enjoy the feast!" Dumbledore, finished, smiling.  
  
Magically, delicious-looking food appeared on the sparkling gold plates. After filling their plates with some of everything in sight, the four teens began to talk again.  
  
"So, can you guys give me some background history on this place?" Melissa requested, pouring gravy over her roast turkey. (A/N: I love that food!!!)  
  
" 'Er-my-knee?" Both Ron and Harry looked at the pretty brunette, mumbling through mouthfuls of chicken (Harry) and ham (Ron).  
  
"What? Oh, for heaven's sake. Alright, let's see," she replied.  
  
"Hermione's almost memorized 'Hogwarts, A History'," Ron explained to Melissa.  
  
"Shut up, Ron. Okay, we might as well start at the beginning," said Hermione. She paused to take a bite of mashed potatoes before continuing. "It started over a thousand years ago. Four of the greatest witches and wizards of the age were Godric Gryffindor," ("Ohhh," Melissa remarked. "I was wondering who he was.") "Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin." ("He was the crazy, old loony," Ron broke in, twirling his finger in a circle beside his ear, making the 'insane' sign.) "Shut up, Ron. Anyway, they got together and decided to found a school. That school.was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
"They each gave their name to one of the school houses" ("That's where we get Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin," Harry supplied.) "Exactly. And individually chose the students." For the next ten or twenty minutes, Hermione spoke of the events that had happened in the past one thousand years or so while they ate their dinners and desserts amongst the noise and clamor around them. Finally, Dumbledore stood up.  
  
"Now that we have been fed and watered, we had better get to bed; we have a full day tomorrow. Prefects, please lead your houses to their dorms. Goodnight, everyone!" he called as everyone started talking again.  
  
At this, Ron and Hermione stood up. As they started walking towards the door, Melissa rose from their stunned stupor and leapt out of their seats to catch up with their friends.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you were prefects?!" Melissa half-shouted once the two of them had reached Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Well, we would have told you if you'd asked. You didn't ask," Hermione answered modestly.  
  
"Congratulations, you guys," the redhead said, embracing them both as Malfoy reached them.  
  
"Like I said on the train, goody. Another Gryffindor to torment. This year should be fun," he smirked. Melissa sighed and turned to face him along with an irritated Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  
  
"And like I said on the train, don't count on it. I'm not an easy person to torment. And what you said on the train was, 'Goody. Another Potter follower to torment. This year should be fun.' Now, bye-bye. Uh, buh- bye," she replied, waving. Shaking her head, she and the three other Gryffindors turned and walked away, laughing, leaving Malfoy standing there, shocked, that he had been insulted twice in one day by the same person, and a Gryffindor to boot.  
  
"Okay, so, are we hiding anything else from Melissa, just to get it out in the open? Harry, you secretly, like, lusting after Melissa or something?" Ron continued.  
  
"Oh, nasty! Ron, that's disgusting! That's just.don't even go there!" Melissa exclaimed, lightly shoving the tall boy.  
  
"Well, it's not that unheard of," Harry said, slightly hurt. Melissa burst out laughing at this comment.  
  
"Oh, Harry, please! I mean, like, no offense or anything, but you have no idea how unthinkable that is!" Melissa replied, still giggling.  
  
"Mmm, okay, whatever," Harry murmured demurely.  
  
Twenty minutes of laughing and joking later, the Gryffindors had reached a large portrait of and immensely fat woman in a pink silk dress. They stopped in front of it to wait for the rest of the house to catch up. To Melissa's surprise, after waiting a few moments, the portrait stirred to life and began to speak.  
  
"Password, dears?"  
  
"Pig snout," Hermione replied, addressing the portrait as well as the rest of the crowd behind them.  
  
"Welcome back, everyone," the Fat Lady said, smiling and nodding. She swung slowly open to reveal a lushly decorated room with a warm, friendly fire crackling merrily in the fireplace and dozens of squishy armchairs and couches. Ron and Hermione entered first, beckoning for everyone else to follow. Melissa had never seen such opulence. She followed her friends in to the common room, her eyes looking all around to try and absorb everything all at once.  
  
"People, welcome to Gryffindor Tower. Here and your classes are roughly where you'll spend the next year of you life," Ron said in a low voice, the firelight dancing over his face making him look almost menacing. "No sense of doom intended there," he added, a smile breaking out on his lips.  
  
"Now, we really hate to be the bad guys, but there are certain rules. Rule number one: No dangerous magic. That goes without saying. Rule number two: No duels, whether they're physical, with fists, or magical, with wands," Hermione stated, counting the rules off on her fingers. "Rule number three: The only loud, raucous parties we'll be having will be on special occasions and after Quidditch matches, which we're sure to win thanks to someone special here and the rest of the fantabulous (A/N: My new word.) Gryffindor Quidditch team," she continued, putting an arm around Harry and pointing sideways at him, making him go a brilliant shade of red.  
  
"Oh, come on, Hermione!" Ginny Weasley shouted. "Those parties-among several other things-are what Gryffindor House is known forouse if known Hou!" she added, smiling mischievously and making everyone in the room start laughing.  
  
"Right, sleeping arrangements," Ron said, clapping his hands for attention, and then pointing behind him to the right. "The boys' dorms are this way. The girls' dorms are up the left staircase."  
  
"Now, it's really easy to find the dorms for both girls and-Ginny, please stop laughing at me!" Ron exclaimed, blushing bright red.  
  
"Sorry, Ron, but I can't help it," Ginny replied as another wave of giggles overtook her. She clutched at her stmach with one hand and pointed at her brother with the other. Ron looked absolutely helpless.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, sure. Uh, okay, right. Dorms," he continued, running his hands through his hair absentmindedly. "The first year dorms are first on the left, the second year dorms are first on the right, the third year dorms are second on the left, the fourth year dorms are second on the right, the fifth year dorms are third on the left, the sixth year dorms are third on the right, and the seventh year dorms are at the very end of the hallway. The doors on either side of the seventh year dorms are the bathrooms and showers."  
  
"All right, we should probably get to bed, it's kind of late," Alys'n stated, starting for the stairs.  
  
Hermione led the girls up to their dorms with while Ron showed the boys up to theirs. After everyone had found their rooms, Hermione showed Melissa the room she shared with Parvati and Lavender. Melissa fell asleep almost immediately, her last thought being, \/I'll have to tell Harry soon. I hope he doesn't freak out.\/  
  
A/N: Hope you liked it! Chapter four's on the way! TTFN! R/R, pleez!!!!!!!! I'd love to hear your suggestions!!!!!!!! 


	4. The Telling of a Secret

Chapter 4: The Telling of a Secret  
  
The next few days flew by in a blur and, surprisingly, Melissa hadn't been made to tell Harry yet; even better, she might not have to, although she probably would be made to today. Harry was still completely clueless. Before Melissa knew it, it was September fourth, her first day of lessons at Hogwarts. She woke up early that morning feeling more refreshed than she had in a while. She dressed quickly and walked down to the common room to wait for the others. Melissa found Harry there taking letters off of three different owls.  
  
"Hey, Mel, you have a couple of letters," Harry said after she greeted him, handing her two of the small scrolls of parchment. Melissa murmured her thanks and curled up in an armchair by the fire to read them. Harry sat down on a couch opposite her to read his. Melissa looked briefly at the signatures and found they were from Caysie and…her godfather, Remus Lupin. She quickly opened his letter first.  
  
Dear Melissa, How are you? By now you're probably at Hogwarts. If you are, you'll know the real story. If you're not, well, then this is the wrong address! No, I'm just kidding. But, seriously, it was important that you know the reason you were to be coming to London and Hogwarts. I haven't told Harry about you yet. I think you should be the one to do that. Stay out of trouble, both you and Harry. I expect I'll see you soon.  
  
Remus  
  
P.S. When you tell Harry, also tell him I'm sorry I thought he was dead. I only figured it out when I came to Hogwarts to teach a few years ago. Oops.  
  
Melissa glanced up at Harry and saw he was scribbling a reply to his own letter. She shook her head as if to clear all of the conflicting thoughts out of her mind and reached for Caysie's letter.  
  
Hey, Lis!  
  
What's up? So, (I'm pretending to hold up a mike to my mouth and act like one of those news reporters we see all the time on the Muggle TV!) how does it feel to be the twin sister of one of the biggest hotties in the world? Not to mention a famous superstar! I mean, he's the one that defeated You- Know-Who!  
  
Oh my gosh. Be glad you're not at Sullivan's right now. It's sooooo boring!!! The only thing of any interest whatsoever is Emilie dumping Brendan and going out with a seventh year named Daniel Corrignan. Personally, I'm glad. I like Daniel better than Brendan because you know how Brendan was, like, a total teacher's pet and goody-goody before? When you were here? Well, that' what he calls the "old Brendan". Now, he hangs around with Jake Lenton and Marc Stridedge. Remember them? You have to. They're the ones that would always swear and whistle at you, Emilie, Ailyne, and me, just because they thought we were "totally hot chicks, man" in their words.  
  
Okay, and I am totally babbling. Anyway, I gotta go. Owl me back, girl!  
  
Luv ya lots!!!  
  
Your best always,  
  
Caysie  
  
She smiled contently as she penned a reply to both her letters. Oh, did Melissa remember those two. They would swear at them, pick on them, whistle, and do all kinds of degrading stuff to Melissa and her three best friends, Caysie, Emilie Bentano, and Ailyne Veihmeyer. Then they would turn around and expect them to go out with them. \/Yeah right! \/ Melissa thought cynically. It was too bad that Brendan had fallen in with them. He used to be kind of boring; Melissa, Caysie and Ailyne never could figure out what Emilie saw in him, but he was a lot nicer than those two.  
  
By the time she was finished, Hermione and Ron had joined Harry and Melissa. They climbed out the portrait hole, said good morning to a very groggy Fat Lady, and walked down the stairs to the Great Hall. Ron and Harry sat down opposite Melissa and Hermione. A few moments later, Dean, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom came down and joined them, still yawning widely and rubbing their eyes. They started talking about their school subjects as they ate their bacon, sausages, and eggs. A couple of seats down the table, Ginny and Colin Creevey gave them the fifth-year course schedules.  
  
"Damn it!" Ron exclaimed, staring down at his sheet of paper.  
  
"Ron! Shut up!" the others hissed at him, furtively glancing at the High Table where most of the teachers were sitting.  
  
"Quietly, tell us what's wrong. Quietly," Harry emphasized.  
  
"We've got Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, and Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins," Ron shot back.  
  
"Damn it," the other sixth years chorused, also looking down at their course schedules.  
  
As they were finishing, Professor McGonagall walked up to them and motioned for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Melissa to follow her. They gobbled down the rest of their breakfast, said quick goodbyes to Dean, Neville and Seamus, and hurried after her striding footsteps.  
  
They walked through the halls until McGonagall stopped in front of a large and extremely ugly gargoyle. Melissa could tell from the look on Harry's face that he'd been here before and knew where they were.  
  
"Sugar Quill," McGonagall said.  
  
The seemingly lifeless stone statue sprang to life and, as the wall behind split in half, revealed a moving spiral staircase. The five of them piled onto the stairs and moved gradually upward. At the top, was a large oak door with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin. McGonagall knocked and ushered them in as the door swung open slowly. They were going to see Dumbledore.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, Ms. McKinnon. Please, sit down," Dumbledore requested pleasantly. "Now you're most likely wondering what you're all doing here. Well, as I'm sure you're all well aware of, Voldemort—fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself, Mr. Weasley," he said as Ron flinched. "Voldemort is once again on his rise to power and, whether you know it or not, you're all in danger. Harry, well, for you, the reason is sort of obvious."  
  
At his statement, Harry grinned.  
  
"Hermione, because you are close to Harry and because you are Muggle-born." ("Oh, for heaven's sake! Not that again!") "Ron, because you are also close to Harry and because of your father. Melissa, because you are close to Harry and…well, before I say any more, I think you should tell what you've been hiding." Melissa nodded hesitantly while Ron, Hermione, and Harry looked puzzled.  
  
"Would you like me to tell it?" Dumbledore asked kindly, the firelight reflecting off of his crescent moon glasses as he leaned forward.  
  
"N—no, I—I think I should," Melissa responded.  
  
"Would you like us to give you some privacy?"  
  
"I've nothing to hide. Well, not anymore, apparently," Melissa replied, shaking her head. \/Oh, I knew this was too good to last\/, she thought anxiously to herself. She turned to her friends, took a deep breath, and began her story haltingly.  
  
"Um, okay. Uh, you guys know that I transferred here from Ireland, right? Oh, yeah, well, duh, Melissa, of course they do. Okay, well um, here's the reason I moved." Melissa paused and looked to Dumbledore for encouragement. When he nodded, she continued. " 'Kay, uh, all right, when I was born, I had a twin, who was older than me by four minutes. About a year later, give or take a month or two, someone came to kill my twin and murdered my parents along the way. That person didn't know I lived. They thought I was stillborn. They just wanted to kill whoever was there, but specifically my twin. And me, when they saw me there.  
  
"Um, no one knows how, but my twin and I lived. My godfather, when he came, thought my twin had been killed and brought me to my aunt and uncle's house. He, uh, thought—no, he knew—it would be safer for me there. A friend of my parents—he didn't know I lived through the attack—brought my twin to my mother's sister and brother-in-law's house to stay. From what I've heard, my twin's new guardians weren't all too happy with that arrangement. Over this past summer, I received word that it would be a lot more secure for me here." After Melissa had finished her story, she was greeted with amazed silence. Finally, Harry spoke.  
  
"Right. Okay, can we ask a couple of questions? You know, just to clarify things?" he asked. When Melissa nodded, he cleared his throat and continued. "Okay, question one: Who was the 'friend'?"  
  
"Um…Hagrid?" Harry wrinkled his forehead in confusion.  
  
"Is that a question…or an answer? I can't tell," he confessed.  
  
"It was an answer. All of them will be, no matter how she replies," Dumbledore supplied. "Please, continue along your line of inquiries."  
  
"Right. All right, question two: Who was the 'someone'?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Uhhhhh…Voldemort?" Melissa answered timidly, fidgeting with a hair elastic on her wrist.  
  
"Oh-kay, um, the godfather?" Ron quizzed.  
  
"Remus Lupin?"  
  
"Th—the…the…the twin?" Harry stammered, his throat closing up. Melissa mumbled an indistinct name, her eyes looking down into her hands.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You?" Melissa replied meekly, tucking her hair behind one ear so her scar was clearly visible. Melissa could hear the shocked gasps of Ron and Hermione next to her. At this, Harry blanched and his eyes grew wide with shock and surprise.  
  
A/N: How does it end? Will Harry be okay with him suddenly having a sister? Figure it out, even I don't know. Happy 14th, Shanleigh!!!!!!!! Happy 13th, Sam!!!!!!!! Lata, folks! 


	5. Harry's Response

Chapter 5: Harry's Response  
  
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Authoress for all of her suggestions. I rewrote this whole chapter, I liked them so much!!!!!! Keep reviewing and helping me out, Authoress!!!!!!  
  
By the way, this (/\…/\) means Harry's thoughts.  
  
"Whoa," Harry whispered after a moment. Melissa let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Melissa heard a foghorn-type sound and turned to see Professor McGonagall holding a huge handkerchief, her eyes rimmed with red. "Oh, wow!" Harry stood up and backed away from Melissa staring at her.  
  
"Um, Harry?" Melissa asked tentatively. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Oh, my gosh!" Harry exclaimed ecstatically. "I've—wait a second," he said, now cautious and wary. "How do I know that you're actually my sister and not, like, a spy or helper of Voldemort?"  
  
"Harry, how would I have known all about your history?" Melissa responded.  
  
"Nearly everyone in the wizarding world knows my history, Melissa," Harry retorted in the tone of someone saying two and two make four. "Unfortunately," he added after a moment. Melissa sighed and closed her eyes, then, after a moment, opened them in astonishment.  
  
"Then how would I know about the Triwizard Tournament and Cedric Diggory's death two years ago?" Melissa asked softly. "And how would I know about how you blame yourself for his demise?" All the color that was left drained out of Harry's face as the rest of the room sat in stunned silence.  
  
"I…don't know," he finally replied. He turned to Dumbledore. "Pro—Professor…how?"  
  
"For that question, Mr. Potter, you'll have to ask the girl herself," Dumbledore remarked, looking just as surprised as the rest of them. "Melissa?"  
  
"I'm actually not all that sure of how I knew," Melissa confessed. "It—I suddenly heard Harry's voice in my head telling me about those parts of his fourth year here."  
  
"That…is really freaky," Harry said under his breath.  
  
"And why is that, Harry?" Dumbledore inquired.  
  
"We—well, it's weird because…I was just thinking about that," Harry replied. "I thought that only my true sister would be able to know that without me telling her."  
  
"Just as I suspected," Dumbledore said slowly. Everyone in the room looked at him.  
  
"Albus? What did you suspect?" McGonagall asked breathlessly.  
  
"Sometimes, twins have a somewhat…telepathic mind link," Dumbledore answered after snapping out of his reverie. "It seems as though Harry and Melissa are not without."  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, so—so, we are twins?" Harry blurted out.  
  
"Yes, Harry, you and Melissa are, indeed, twins. Both Potters."  
  
"But, why hasn't Melissa heard Harry's thoughts before?" Hermione asked uncertainly. "And him hers?"  
  
"That, my dear, is one of the great mysteries of the universe. We may never know," Dumbledore said, smiling faintly. "Now, any more questions, you two?"  
  
"Apparently not, Professor," they chorused, their voices blending together flawlessly. They stopped talking, looking completely surprised. Ron and Hermione started laughing at the matching looks of bewilderment on their faces. Dumbledore chuckled softly.  
  
"Yes, I expect you'll get used to that," he remarked. "Now, you better hurry or you'll be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Oh, and Melissa—I believe you'll find the teacher we've acquired…how shall I say? interesting," Dumbledore added, his eyes twinkling mischievously. Melissa looked at him curiously and opened her mouth to question him, but, before she could, McGonagall began ushering the four of them out of the room.  
  
/\Well, life definitely just got a lot weirder/\, Melissa heard Harry say silently. Without giving it a second thought, she replied, \/No kidding.\/ Realizing what had just happened, they both let out an identical shout of surprise and sprang apart.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" Hermione asked worriedly.  
  
"N—nothing," Melissa stammered after staring wide-eyed at her twin for a few moments. She turned to Harry. "We're gonna have to figure out this mindy thingy, you know."  
  
"Oh, trust me, I know," Harry replied, laughing. Suddenly, he stopped walking and laughing and stared ahead with a look of slight disgust on his face.  
  
"What is it, Harry?" Ron asked after regaining his balance from running into Harry.  
  
"I just realized why Melissa started freaking out the other night at your…comment," Harry told him slowly, still staring ahead. Ron and Hermione thought for a moment, recalling the other night.  
  
"Ohhhh. Ew," they chorused.  
  
"Told you," Melissa remarked, shrugging as if to say, "I tried to warn you."  
  
"Yeah," Harry said.  
  
They walked most of the way in silence, breaking it only to ask each other if they're going the right way. They reached the throng of sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins only minutes after deciding to follow Hermione's directions. She was "I-told-you-so"ing Harry and Ron when Draco Malfoy purposely shoved into them. Melissa caught the full of it and was thrown to the floor, along with Harry, Hermione, and Ron's bags.  
  
"Oops, sorry, Gryffindors," he apologized, his voice dripping with fake innocence. "You weren't moving fast enough. I only meant to jostle you a little bit to make you go quicker."  
  
"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry retorted angrily, leaning over to pick up his bag and help Melissa up, who was sitting, stunned from the blow, on the floor.  
  
"Ooh, Potter's using big words now," Malfoy responded brightly, the Slytherins starting to giggle behind him. He was seemingly oblivious to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Melissa's increasing anger; he obviously enjoyed infuriating them.  
  
"Get lost, Malfoy," Hermione replied through clenched teeth, not yet ready to stoop to swearing, although she was awfully close. "Thanks, Ron," she added. The youngest Weasley had picked up his and Hermione's bags.  
  
"Oh, oh, no, help me, I'm lost, I'm really lost, I can't find my way, help!" Malfoy remarked, pretending he really had gone astray*, much to the amusement of the other Slytherins. At this, Harry and Ron lost it. They dropped their bags and started heading towards the blonde with clenched fists. They didn't get here first, although Malfoy probably wishes they did.  
  
Melissa stalked ahead of the two Gryffindor boys and, ignoring Harry's hand on her arm and his pleading not to get involved, rammed her knee into Malfoy's "area". He doubled up and fell to the floor, moaning in pain.  
  
"That ought to teach you not to mess with me," Melissa said, looking scornfully down at the writhing figure on the floor. The pug-faced Slytherin girl, Pansy Parkinson (Harry and Hermione had pointed her out to Melissa while Ron was getting more food at dinner the night before) came squealing to his side.  
  
"Oooh, Dracy, does it hurt much?" she asked stupidly. Her answer was an angry glare mixed with pain. She then looked up at Melissa.  
  
"You bitch!" she spat out. "You nearly killed him!"  
  
"Ha! Please! Your 'Dracy' will be just fine," the redhead scoffed. She then walked back to where Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing open- mouthed and the rest were cheering.  
  
"What? What?"  
  
"Melissa…" Harry faltered, at a loss for words.  
  
"This is a side of me people don't see very often, don't worry," Melissa reassured, picking her bag up off the floor.  
  
"I guess not," Ron remarked unbelievingly, staring over at Malfoy. "You know what, Ireland? I'm going to stay on your good side from now on." He received a grin as a response.  
  
The Gryffindors slowly filtered into the classroom, leaving the Slytherins tightly huddled around Malfoy. She, Harry, Hermione, and Ron sat down in the front row and pulled out their books and wands. Melissa looked around to see what she would find interesting, but didn't see anything. She then turned to Harry and Ron, who were wondering what kind of odd teacher they would be having this year.  
  
"Why? How many odd teachers have you had before?" Melissa asked.  
  
"Well, in our first year, we had a guy named Quirrell. He turned out to be a Death Eater with You-Know-Who under his turban," Ron explained as Harry nodded in agreement.  
  
"In our second year, we had that famous bloke, Gilderoy Lockhart. He was a complete imbecile," Harry broke in, shaking his head in utter disbelief. "I only learned one thing from him that year: Never let 'freshly-caught Cornish pixies' loose. He ended up loosing his mind and was sent to St. Mungo's."  
  
"Our third year teacher, Lupin, was by far the best. We dealt with different creatures that year. The only bad thing was...he's a werewolf," Ron recalled with a grin. "Snape—the Potions master, you'll unfortunately meet him later today—told the Slytherins at breakfast one morning. Lupin, also unfortunately, decided to leave."  
  
"In our fourth year, we had Alastor Mad-Eye Moody. Well, in body, anyway," Harry said, smiling so he looked slightly insane. "He turned out to be Bartemius Crouch, Jr., under the influence of the Polyjuice Potion. Crouch was one of the right-hand men of Voldemort—oh. Sorry, Ron," Harry added as Ron winced at the Dark Lord's name. "He was given the Dementor's Kiss almost right after the end of the Triwizard Tournament."  
  
"Last year, we had an absolutely horrible woman who took over life at Hogwarts," Harry continued as Ron looked around. "Umbridge was her name. If you were here last year, you had no private life at Hogwarts."  
  
"Wow," Melissa breathed in a shocked tone. "You guys have had your share of weird teachers—and evil and horrible ones, too."  
  
Just then, the door to the classroom slammed shut, indicating the teacher...had arrived.  
  
*This is a personal experience with a bas—oops, excusez mon français ;-) —jerk (@!#%¥$?) named Andrew in my neighborhood. He does this whenever I say, "Get lost."  
  
A/N: Oooh, suspenseful, ain't it? *grins* The sixth chapter's comin' soon; just gotta finish typing it. See y'all later!!!! 


	6. Defense Against the Dark Arts

Chapter 6: Defense Against the Dark Arts  
  
The professor walked down the stairs and through the rows of desks. Melissa, like everyone else, turned to try and see the professor's face, but, whoever it was, kept his or her head down. When he or she reached the front of the classroom, they turned and smiled sweetly at the students. Melissa let out an audible gasp when she caught sight of the professor's face.  
  
It was Shelbie Wood, a friend and teacher of Melissa's from Sullivan's. Melissa could do nothing more than stare and blink like a goldfish. Shelbie watched her with a twinkle in her eye and a grin on her face.  
  
"Sh—Shelbie!" Melissa finally choked out.  
  
"Oh, hey, Mel! What's up?" Shelbie asked calmly, as if they had seen each other every day for the past week or so.  
  
"Wha—that's all you can say?!" Melissa burst out. "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving Sullivan's for Hogwarts?"  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" the young professor inquired slyly, evading Melissa's question.  
  
"I didn't know!" Melissa replied, outraged.  
  
"Calm down, Mel. I didn't know, either," Shelbie reassured, still smiling. She then turned to the rest of the class, all of whom had been watching this odd display in amazement. "Everyone, my name is Professor Shelbie Wood. You may call me Professor Wood. Now, at the beginning of each term, I like to have my students ask questions about myself and I'll answer them. So, anyone have any questions?"  
  
Several hands flew up into the air.  
  
"Okay, when I point to you, tell me your name so I can write it down. Oh, and by the way, I hope you like the seats you're in, as you'll be sitting there for the rest of this marking period," Shelbie added, her eyes twinkling mischievously. She conjured up a piece of parchment with little squares drawn on it in the formation of their classroom and a quill to write with. "Um, how about the Gryffindor in the first row?"  
  
"Seamus Finnigan, Professor," the Irish boy said.  
  
"Okay, Seamus Finnigan, go ahead," Shelbie invited as she finished writing his name.  
  
"Are you single?"  
  
This brought out a huge round of laughter, even from the Slytherins.  
  
"Why, yes, I am," Shelbie answered suggestively, grinning widely. "Why, are you free Saturday night?"  
  
The air around Seamus rang with laughter as the sandy-haired young man blushed furiously.  
  
"Dean dared me to," Seamus declared loudly, pointing at the tall, black boy next to him.  
  
"Did not!" Dean defended fervently.  
  
"Did to!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did to!"  
  
"Okay, okay, all right, everyone," Shelbie said, trying to calm everyone down. "Anyone have any real questions? Yes, you, over in the Slytherin fifth-row?"  
  
(A/N: JKR didn't clarify what gender Blaise Zabini is, so I went with female because it didn't seem as though there were many Slytherin girls.)  
  
"Blaise Zabini, Professor Wood," the Slytherin girl called, flipping her chestnut hair pompously over her shoulder. "How old are you?" she asked when Shelbie had finished writing her name down.  
  
"A girl never tells her age, Miss Zabini," Shelbie replied, her eyes glittering. Blaise looked taken aback. "No, I'm just kidding. I'm twenty- three. Okay, is that all? Mel, you know everything about me. What could you *possibly* have to ask?"  
  
"Shelbie, why were you sent here?" Melissa asked quietly, serious for once in her life. "Were you sent here to look after me or watch me? To make sure I don't get into any more trouble than I used to at Sullivan's?"  
  
"Uh, Melissa, I'll, uh, um, see me after class, okay? We'll talk then," Shelbie replied, looking years ahead of her twenty-three. "Okay, then." She looked down at her notes and cleared her throat before she continued talking. "Now we will be continuing what your third-year teacher—um, Lupin, Professor Lupin—started. Can anyone tell me what you've already covered? You know, just so we don't do it over again?"  
  
Melissa and Seamus had to dodge sideways into Harry and Dean to avoid being hit by Hermione's hand.  
  
"Yes, uh, I'm sorry, what's your name?" Shelbie asked apologetically.  
  
"Hermione Granger, please, Professor," Hermione requested. "With Professor Lupin, we worked on kappas, Red Caps, boggarts, hinky-punks, grindylows, and werewolves," the brunette added, rattling off a list of odd creatures from memory.  
  
"Okay, so you haven't worked on—oh, say, trolls, hippogriffs, or dragons?" Shelbie asked, waving her hand around.  
  
There was a smattering of laughter and giggling as most of the Gryffindors tapped, prodded, and pointed at Harry. Blushing, he grinned.  
  
"Did I…miss something?" Shelbie asked curiously.  
  
"Two years ago, Hogwarts hosted the Triwizard Tournament. After a bizarre turn of events, I was one of the Hogwarts champions," Harry replied. "For the first task, we had to beat a dragon to get a golden egg that was our clue for the next task. I beat mine the quickest and learned a lot about dragons in the process," Harry added, still glowing red.  
  
"Oh, okay, then, never mind," Shelbie said, crossing something off on her clipboard. "Um, what about Quintapeds, Acromantulas, or Diricawls?" The answer to her question was 'no'. "Finally. All right, please turn to page one of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. It's after all the pages with the x's, v's, and i's as the bottom of them," she added, grinning.  
  
For the next minute or so, the only sound was that of the shuffling of multiple papers as everyone turned to that page.  
  
"Everyone there?" Shelbie asked, clapping her hands together." Okay, please read the section on Acromantulas. Afterward, we'll each state one fact from the article. Right, you have five minutes, as it's relatively short. Go ahead."  
  
After everyone had finished reading, Shelbie stood up.  
  
"Now, recall a fact from the article you've just read. When I point to you, tell me your name so I can write it down. Now, who's got something? Oh, and don't repeat what someone else has already said just to get your house more points. I'll end up taking points away. I really don't like to do that, so please don't make me. The only time I'll take points away is if I really have to. And I don't favor people or houses, like I heard some teachers do around here."  
  
A huge fake cough exploded from nearly all the Gryffindors. It sounded suspiciously like "Snape and the Slytherins" but, you know, it could have been something else. :-) Shelbie laughed while the Slytherins scowled.  
  
"Oh, yeah, you guys, that was really convincing," she said, still laughing. "Okay, come one, people, give me something here."  
  
Immediately, several hands flew up into the air, including Hermione's (A/N: No surprise there!), Dean's, Pansy's, and, surprisingly, Malfoy's. Others' hands tentatively went up also, including Neville's and Lavender's, both rather unexpectedly from the looks on her faces. Shelbie looked around the room before choosing someone.  
  
"Ummm, how about you there, the blonde Slytherin?" she finally asked, pointing at Malfoy.  
  
"Draco Malfoy," he responded, being, oddly enough, courteous. When Shelbie heard his name, she looked up sharply from her bent over position.  
  
"Malfoy?" she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral. "Is that right?"  
  
"Yeah, that's right," he answered, his tone challenging. "Why, you don't like Malfoys?"  
  
"That's not it at all," Shelbie replied, a dangerous edge in her voice. "But it will be if you talk to me like that again. You don't want to lose Slytherin any points, do you?" Malfoy said nothing, only scowled.  
  
"Am I clear? Or do you need more guidance, Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"No, ma'am," he mumbled his eyes downcast. Normally he would have retorted and not have cared if a teacher took off points from Slytherin, but he sensed this…this Shelbie Wood, she was different from other teachers.  
  
"Good. Now, state your fact."  
  
" 'Rumours that a colony of Acromantula as been established in Scotland are unconfirmed'," Malfoy recited. Harry and Ron's hands flew up simultaneously at this statement.  
  
"Yes, uh, Harry and Ron," Shelbie asked, checking her seating chart. "Is this the same comment or different?"  
  
"Same," they chorused.  
  
"Go ahead," came the answer.  
  
"Rumours that a colony of Acroman—" Malfoy cut them off here.  
  
"Professor! Professor, you said that we can't repeat what someone else has already said!" he cried, leaping up. "I just said that!"  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy!" all of the Gryffindors shouted at the blonde. Malfoy, looking slightly like a wounded puppy, sat down quietly at Shelbie's motion.  
  
"Well, rumours that a colony of Acromantula has been established in Scotland—" Ron started.  
  
"—have been confirmed by Ron Weasley and Harry Potter," Harry finished. Shelbie was stunned.  
  
"Wha—what?" she stammered, dumbfounded. "You—you—you—you've… *confirmed* these rumours?! How—where are they?"  
  
"In our second year, the gamekeeper, Hagrid, was accused of setting a basilisk on Muggle-born students—" Harry began to explain.  
  
"Harry killed it. The basilisk, I mean," Ron, broke in, grinning. "We're all very proud of him."  
  
"Shut up, Ron," Harry replied, once again blushing. "*Anyway*, he said, and this is a direct quote, accent and all, 'If anyone wanted ter find out some *stuff*, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the *spiders*. That'd lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'.' Well, we followed the *little* spiders until we found *bigger* spiders. Acromantula, I believe they're called. Right here in our own Forbidden Forest. Let's just say we're lucky to be alive. Turns out they eat anyone and anything that strays into their path unless it's Hagrid." When Harry had finished talking, the room was silent. Finally, Shelbie spoke.  
  
"Ah. I see. Okay, wow, well, um, we have about twenty more minutes. Can anyone tell me anyone else about Acromantula? Oh, and Draco, good job. Take ten points to Slytherin. Please, no nastiness next time, okay? Yes, you?" she added, pointing to Neville.  
  
"Neville Longbottom, Professor." Neville waited for Shelbie to finish writing down his name before continuing. " 'The Acromantula is a monstrous eight-eyed spider covered in thick black hair?' " he asked rather than said. At his statement, Ron shuddered violently.  
  
"Good, Neville, ten points to Gryffindor." Neville grinned gloriously as Shelbie marked down his points. Looking from Ron to Harry to Neville, Pansy, smiling nastily, raised her hand again. "Yes, honey, what's your name?" Shelbie asked.  
  
"Pansy Parkinson, Professor Wood. I have three facts, may I tell them all?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, sure. Go ahead," Shelbie invited, writing Pansy's name down.  
  
"One: Ron Weasley is a little scaredy-cat. Two: Harry Potter is full of himself. Three: Neville Longbottom is a stupid Squib without a drop of knowledge in his head," Pansy stated, her evil grin growing wider.  
  
"Very good, Miss Parkinson," Shelbie answered pleasantly, causing the Gryffindors to stop sneering and to throw Shelbie alarmed looks. "Unfortunately, through, I can't give you any house points. I can take them away, which, of course, I'm going to do. Thanks to your classmate, Slytherin, the points Draco had won Slytherin are now no more. You, Miss Parkinson, win…detention! Congratulations! People, let me make something clear. I *will not* tolerate *anyone*, no matter what house they are in, making fun of or insulting others in my classroom or in front of me. And if I catch you doing that very thing *anywhere*, woe betide you," Shelbie finished sternly.  
  
"Okay, the bell is going to ring in a moment," she said, checking her watch. Just then a shrill bell, magically made louder than usual, sounded, echoing throughout the halls. "Well, speak of the devil. Oh, no, no, no, no, wait, don't move a muscle!" Shelbie ordered as everyone began a mad dash for the door.  
  
At this everyone, except Melissa, froze in various positions, some of them slightly painful. Melissa, with a piece of parchment in front or her, was still packing her bag.  
  
"Mel! She said not to move a muscle!" Harry hissed at her from one of the more painful poses. His torso was twisted around to reach his bag, with his head still facing front.  
  
"You are!" she shot back. "And she meant 'Don't go anywhere yet'!" Ron and Hermione smiled at each other, both thinking the same thing, Yep, they're both definitely brother and sister.  
  
"Oh, sorry, everyone. I meant, don't go anywhere yet," Shelbie apologized, an amused smile on her face. The Slytherins and Gryffindors relaxed with a collective relieved sigh.  
  
"See?" Melissa whispered matter-of-factly to Harry. He stuck his tongue out at her. She stuck hers out back.  
  
"Wow, you guys are the most literal group I've had so far. Anyway, let's talk…homework." She was met by groans from both houses. "Hey, got to get back into it. For homework, write a short essay, listing five different creatures you want to study this term and why. No length limit, but, please, write more than two sentences for each creature." She looked around the room, meeting each student's eyes. She lingered on Malfoy's eyes a bit longer than everyone else, acting as though she were studying him, then snapped out of her reverie. "Now, get out of here."  
  
As everyone else finished packing their bags amongst he chattering din, Melissa vaulted the barrier separating the teacher's desks and the students' desks.  
  
"Why didn't you owl me?" Melissa cried even before she reached the blonde, hazel-eyed teacher.  
  
"Mel. Listen to me. You. Weren't. Supposed. To. Know," Shelbie explained slowly, as if this were the *most* obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Why weren't you at the feast the other night?" Melissa demanded.  
  
"The other teacher and I got in after it ended," Shelbie replied, shrugging. "You guys are going to be late for—what, Potions, isn't it? I have another class, the seventh year Hufflepuffs, I think. Melissa, wait a sec." Before she started talking, Shelbie shooed Ron, Hermione, and Harry toward the back of the room.  
  
"What?" Melissa asked as Shelbie walked back to her.  
  
"That's him, right?" Shelbie asked in a low tone, gesturing in the general direction of Harry, who was waiting with Hermione and Ron for Melissa in the back of the room.  
  
"Yeah, that's Harry," Melissa replied in just as low a voice.  
  
"I can sort of see the family resemblance now," Shelbie said, tilting her head to the side. "Oh, Mel, watch out for that Malfoy kid. His father's bad news and I have a feeling he is, too."  
  
"I know," Melissa remarked darkly. "I've already experienced the Malfoy nastiness."  
  
"Why? What happened?" Shelbie asked sharply.  
  
"He was just being a jerk out in the corridor," Melissa told her dismissively, waving her hand behind her in the direction of the hallway. "Don't worry. I took care of it. I don't think he'll be messing with me anymore."  
  
"Okay, but…just be careful," Shelbie advised worriedly.  
  
"Calm down, Shelbie. You're starting to sound like my aunt and uncle," Melissa replied, turning to her friends and brother. I'll talk to you later," she added, waving. She met up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione and they started walking out the door, leaving Shelbie standing there.  
  
"What was that all about?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, it's…nothing to worry about," Melissa said, not exactly answering the question. "She was just warning me about Malfoy and his dad. She says that his dad's bad news and she has a feeling that he is, also."  
  
"Well, *we* could have told you that," Ron remarked teasingly. They continued laughing and joking with each other as they made their way down to the dungeons.  
  
A/N: Hope you liked it! *Please* review, writing these is all that's left in my life (well, that and watching the Harry Potter DVDs and videos. Daniel Radcliffe, Tom Felton, and Sean Biggerstaff were *soooo* HOT in that movie!!!!!!!). 


	7. DunDunDunnnnn

Chapter 7: Dun-Dun-Dunnnnn  
  
A/N: Thank you to all the people that helped me with finding the deleted scenes on the DVD: Ronnie McMains II, Lady Gabriella of Queenscove, and Liza. Thanks!  
  
Melissa walked with Harry Ron and Hermione down the dark, damp passageways in the dungeons on the way to Potions. The other three Gryffindors were telling her tales of just how vindictive Snape can get.  
  
"I remember one time in our third year, the three of us were trying to prove…my godfather, Sirius, was innocent by bringing Peter Pettigrew up to the school," Harry recalled, sounding slightly sorrowful. "Snape hated Sirius almost as much as he hates me. He wanted Sirius either dead or living with no soul. The dementors—I hate those things—had been placed at the school to 'protect' the students from Sirius, the 'killer'. They closed in on Hermione, Sirius, and me, so, of course, we fainted. Ron had already from his leg, he broke it."  
  
"Snape conjured stretchers for us and brought the four of us back up to the school. Harry and I then went back several hours in time and saved Sirius from the Dementor's Kiss and Hagrid's hippogriff, Buckbeak, from being beheaded," Hermione continued. "Snape's jumped at every opportunity to take points off of Gryffindor or give Harry, Ron, and I detention ever since. Especially stupid, here," she finished, pointing sideways at Harry.  
  
"Excuse me. I'm still here, you know," Harry cried indignantly.  
  
"I know," Hermione replied, smiling sweetly. Harry, laughing, shoved her lightly, then draped his arm around her shoulders to show he meant no harm.  
  
"Wow, Harry, why does he hate you so much?" Melissa asked, tying back her red-gold hair.  
  
"He hated my—*our*—dad, but, as he's dead, he's turned on me and probably you, too," Harry replied wryly.  
  
"Wonderful. Just what I need," Melissa said, sighing, as they turned down a narrow corridor. At the end, above the door, a sign read,  
  
'Professor S. Snape'  
  
'Potions Master'  
'Potions Classroom'  
  
"What's the 'S.' stand for?" Melissa asked, looking at her friends.  
  
"Severus," the other three chorused.  
  
With dread, Harry led the way down the hall towards the entrance. Suddenly they heard a voice call out behind them.  
  
"Oy, Harry, Ron! Hey, wait up, you guys!" Seamus called again. Panting, he, Dean, and Neville caught up to the other four shortly, their faces flushed and sweaty.  
  
"Where have you three been?" Hermione asked, reshouldering her bookbag.  
  
"Well, the—idiots over here," Dean panted, jabbing his thumb at Neville and Seamus, "forgot their—Potions books up—in our—dorms. We just—ran—from the third floor to—the seventh floor—and back down here—in the—dungeons. Oh, wow." He collapsed to the floor and leaned against the wall for support, clutching the stitch in his chest, gasping for breath.  
  
"Well, hurry up, we're going to be late for Potions," Ron hissed, moving forward to urge Dean up. Hermione helped Neville up while Melissa assisted Seamus to his feet. All through this, Harry kept an anxious watch. Once Neville, Seamus, and Dean were on their feet, the seven Gryffindors raced to the door of the classroom. They arrived just in time, too. As they were taking their seats, Snape swept into the room, his hair as greasy as ever, and fixed them all with his evil stare.  
  
"Good, good, everyone's here," he said quietly. Then he barked, "Well, what are you waiting for? Take out your quill and parchment!" Suddenly, he rounded on Harry. "Potter, let's see if you remember the answers to these questions from your first year." Harry moaned and slid lower into his seat. Snape's eyes glinted maniacally.  
  
"Potter, what would I get by mixing an infusion of wormwood and a powdered root of asphodel?"  
  
"Oh!" Harry shot up in his chair thinking hard. "Oh! I remember! An infusion of wormwood and a powdered root of asphodel make a sleeping potion so strong it is known as the Draught of the Living Death." Snape's look turned sour, so that must have been the correct answer. Harry grinned.  
  
"Where would I find a bezoar?" Snape spat at Harry.  
  
"The stomach of a goat, sir, and it will save you from most poisons," Harry replied, still smiling widely.  
  
"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape demanded furiously, his face getting to about the same color as Uncle Vernon's.  
  
"Why, they're the same plant. They also go by the name of aconite, of course, Professor. But surely a learned man of your status already knew that," Harry answered impertinently, his grin wider than ever.  
  
"Twenty-five points off Gryffindor, Potter, for your cheek," Snape said, marking it down. Harry's grin fell from his face.  
  
"But—but, Professor—"Harry objected feebly.  
  
"And a detention for protesting," Snape added, his eyes reduced to slits.  
  
"Professor, sir, that's not fair!" Melissa burst out. "Ouch!" She glared at Harry, Hermione, and Ron; they had kicked her simultaneously under the table.  
  
"Detention for you, too, Ms. McKinnon," Snape said silkily. Harry and Melissa fell silent, sat back, and tried to ignore Malfoy smirking at them one row over and two seats in front.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"That totally sucked!" Melissa exclaimed as they hurried out of the chilly classroom an hour later. Snape had spent the entire class making them take note after note on the importances of moly, aconite, unicorn tail hair, dried and crushed Billywig stings, and lacewing flies in different potions until their hands cramped. Then he made them brew an Excitability Potion.  
  
The homework he assigned them was to make the counter potion for the Excitability Potion, the Calming Concoction. He hinted that they would soon be making a potion made up of the ingredients that they took notes on.  
  
"Told you," Harry, Ron, and Hermione chorused.  
  
"Why's he so bitter?" Melissa wondered, calming down.  
  
"No one knows," Ron replied, shrugging. Then his face brightened. "Well, why don't we go eat? I heard it's shepherd's pie tonight." Everyone laughed as he said this. Ron just stood there looking bewildered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Ron, only you could think of food after a lesson like that," Hermione explained.  
  
"But, I agree. Let's go get something to eat," Melissa said. They followed the rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins to the Great Hall. As they walked inside, Melissa noticed that Shelbie was now sitting with the other teachers as well as one other person she didn't recognize. She and Hermione sat next to Fred, George, and Lee and across from Harry and Ron. The two boys sat next to Neville, Dean, and Seamus on the right, and Parvati and Lavender on the left.  
  
Melissa carefully pulled a steaming plate of shepherd's pie towards her as Harry and Ron dumped spoonfuls of rice onto their plates and Hermione got some salad. As they were eating, Shelbie and the other unrecognizable teacher walked own to them at the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Melissa.  
  
"Hey, everybody," Shelbie greeted.  
  
"Hey, Professor," Harry, Hermione, and Ron replied. Melissa just waved; her mouth was full of sautéed vegetables.  
  
"You guys, this is my cousin, Oliver Wood," Shelbie introduced, draping an arm around the shoulders of the tall, handsome young man next to her. "He'll be teaching the Flying class. The old teacher, Madam Hooch, decided to resign." The whole time she was speaking, Harry and Ron were sitting there, staring at the young professor.  
  
"Oliver?!" Harry finally croaked. Oliver turned to Harry and flashed him a dazzling smile.  
  
"Hey, Harry. How's the Quidditch treating you?"  
  
"You're—you're teaching…here?" Ron asked, puzzled.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"What happened to Puddlemere United?" Harry asked, as equally confused as Ron.  
  
"Well, I was on the team all last year and the year before, but the other team members were dead boring and completely stuck up, so I left," Oliver explained, shrugging. "Shelbie knew that Madam Hooch was leaving. She suggested that I apply for the job."  
  
"Congratulations on getting it," Hermione said warmly. Oliver grinned, then he and Shelbie went back up to the High Table. When they sat down, Dumbledore, his friendly blue eyes twinkling, stood up and tapped his gold goblet for attention.  
  
"I am very pleased to announce that our two newest teachers arrived safely last night. They are Professor Shelbie Wood of Defense Against the Dark Arts and a former Gryffindor that graduated only two years ago, Professor Oliver Wood of Flying. Please, give these cousins a welcoming round of applause." He sat down as everyone except Pansy cheered and clapped for the two new professors.  
  
After dinner, the Gryffindors climbed wearily up to their tower. A bit reluctantly, even Hermione, they all pulled out their books to study and do homework. Although they were doing something so tedious, the time flew by and soon it was almost 11:00. Melissa was sitting at one of the tables near a window with Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ron's sister, Ginny. She began rereading her essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts.  
  
Melissa finished editing her essay and, satisfied with it, decided to go to bed. She said goodnight to everyone in the common room and headed up to her dorm with Hermione. They packed their bags for their lessons the next day. A few moments later, Parvati and Lavender walked into the room, yawning widely. The four of them finished getting ready for the next day, extinguished the candles, and went to bed.  
  
A/N: Chapter 8's on the way!!! Remember, R/R, peoples!!!!!!!!! 


	8. A Letter From Dumbledore

Chapter 8: A Letter from Dumbledore  
  
The next couple of days flew by in a blur as Melissa met new friends and teachers. Suddenly, it was Friday and Melissa and her friends (excluding Hermione) had their second lesson of the day starting at 1:00,in 15 minutes- Divination. Hermione had Arithmancy. The four Gryffindors were sitting at their table when Hedwig, Harry's snowy white owl, landed in front of them. Harry took the letter and, after a quick dip of her beak into Harry's goblet, Hedwig flew off to the Owlery for a long sleep with a soft rustle of her wings.  
  
"It's from Lupin!" Harry cried, surprised. Ron, Hermione, and Melissa as, quietly, he read aloud the ex-professor's letter.  
  
Dear Harry, Melissa, Ron, and Hermione, How are you? I'm writing to let you know that I'm going to visit Dumbledore in a few days. This visit has a double reason. I need to speak with him about the Order and I also need to speak with you four. I won't tell you where I am now in case this letter gets intercepted; I'll see you in a few days' time. I'm sorry this letter is so short; I'm sort of pressed for time. Stay out of trouble. I'll see you all soon. Remus  
  
"Well, maybe he can give us some answers," Harry said softly, looking around at the other three.  
  
"Uh, you guys, not to try and get rid of you or anything, but if you have Divination next, you might want to leave now. It's kind of a hike up to the North Tower," Hermione said suddenly, glancing at her watch. Harry and Ron agreed, said good-bye to Hermione, and, with Melissa, fled from the Great Hall. They ran up the many staircases until, gasping for breath, they came to a small cluster of students crowding around the foot of a ladder. None of them wanted to touch it or climb it, or so it seemed.  
  
"Please, come up, class," came the mystical voice from the room above. Melissa turned to Harry.  
  
"She doesn't sound too bad." Harry nodded towards the stairs.  
  
"Just wait and see, he replied. Melissa shrugged and began to climb up the ladder. She emerged into a smoky room with squishy poufs and armchairs.  
  
"Come, class. Come see into the future; predict great and horrible things, all in the clairvoyant classroom of Divination," the voice said again.  
  
"Ho—ly crap," Melissa breathed. \/Okay, I've seen, time to go\/, she added, directing the thought towards Harry.  
  
/\Nuh-uh, this...this is nothing. I've had to go through much worse crap. You're staying/\, she heard Harry's voice order sternly in her head. Ugh, fine, Melissa retorted. She and the rest of the class flopped into the poufs and armchairs. After everyone was seated, they saw a large glittering movement in the corner.  
  
"Class, welcome. It's a joy to see you again," Professor Trelawney said Melissa's eyes widened in unbelief. \/Hey, Harry, guess what?\/ Melissa silently asked her twin. /\What?/\ came the answer. /\I get what you, Ron, and Hermione were talking about the other day/\, Melissa replied. \/Told you\/, Harry responded, laughing in his head.  
  
"Today, we'll be crystal-gazing," Trelawney stated. Harry's voice echoed \/Here we go\/ in Melissa's head. She was about to reply when Professor Trelawney turned to her.  
  
"My dear, what is your name?"  
  
"My-my name?" Melissa stammered while the professor nodded. "Well, my name is Melissa P—McKinnon."  
  
"My dear, have you ever gazed before?" Trelawney asked kindly. Melissa nodded her head 'yes'.  
  
"Then, remember, look in the cloudy depths and images of things to happen will come to you."  
  
"Okay, sure," Melissa responded uncertainly.  
  
She stepped up to one of the decorated tables and looked into the pearly clouds. After a few moments of groggy gazing, shapes began to form. She saw what looked like hers and Harry's shadow and...someone else. Someone tall and radiating evil.  
  
"Well? What do you see?" Professor Trelawney persisted.  
  
"Um, well, I see...three shadows," Melissa replied. "One looks like me and another looks like...Harry." She looked up guiltily at her twin. \/Sorry\/, she thought.  
  
"And the other shadow?" Professor Trelawney pressed.  
  
"It—it feels as though it's radiating evil," Melissa replied. /\Mel?/\ she heard Harry inquire. \/Harry, it—it looks—and feels—like it's…um, Voldemort\/, the redhead answered. Melissa saw Harry's face drain of color.  
  
"All right, never mind that, then. What are the shadows doing?" Trelawney asked gently.  
  
"Um, well, it looks like...one-the evil one—is...I can't really make out what they're doing. Hold on," Melissa responded. She squinted into the loads of pearly fog to try and see more; this is the only time she had ever seen something in her Divination classes, whether at Hogwarts or Sullivan's. She wanted to do a good one.  
  
"Well?" Professor Trelawney prompted after a few minutes.  
  
"It looks like...the evil one is raising something and twirling it at the other two," Melissa answered. "Then he's pointing it at them and it looks like he said something and then...oh. Uh-oh. Oh, no."  
  
"What?" Trelawney pressed. "What do you see?"  
  
"Uh, he, um, he said something and—and...flowers burst out of what looks like his wand and he gave them to the other two and they were allergic," Melissa finished lamely. She didn't want to reveal the ending to her little story; she would tell Harry later.  
  
"Hmmm, all right. Bit disappointing. Now, I will read into your future, to show you how it is done," the glittering teacher said mystically. Melissa uneasily propped herself on a nearby armchair and leaned on the table she had just been at.  
  
"Now, my dear, you must be careful. I see...no, maybe I shouldn't tell you," Trelawney said, gazing into the ball.  
  
"Tell me, I'm sure I can stomach it," Melissa persisted.  
  
"Well, all right. My dear, I see...death in your near future for you and your brother over there," Professor Trelawney stated. Melissa froze when she pointed to Harry.  
  
After a few uncomfortable minutes, Melissa stiffly stood up and walked back to her seat next to Harry and Ron. From what she could see, Harry was just as motionless as she was. \/Harry?\/ Melissa timidly asked.  
  
/\Y-y-yeah?/\ was the reply. \/Um, well, what I really saw was Voldemort killing...us\/, Melissa told him. Harry didn't get a chance to answer because Trelawney began speaking.  
  
"Yes, well, I believe that's...enough for today," she stated. "Class is dismissed. You may go."  
  
As everyone packed up their books, there was uneasy muttering around Harry and Melissa, and the twins were given a wide berth. Harry, Melissa, and Ron headed down the steps, silent for a few minutes.  
  
"Hermione is meeting us on the staircase to the sixth floor," Ron said finally. Sure enough, a few tense, long minutes later, the pretty brunette was spotted standing on a landing to the sixth floor. Melissa noticed that when Hermione was in sight, Ron blushed a deep red. I'll have to look into that, she told herself.  
  
"Ready?" Hermione said brightly when they were level with her. "What's wrong?" she added worriedly when she saw their grim faces.  
  
"Trelawney blabbed it to the class that me and Mel are twins," Harry explained. Hermione's jaw dropped open, then her mouth fell open in a perfect "O".  
  
Suddenly, one of the school's large, brown barn owls landed on the banister in front of the group. Harry looked at it before untying the string and pulling off the letter. He quickly scanned it before looking up with confusion in his eyes.  
  
"Well? Who's it from?" Ron urged after a couple seconds of shocked silence had passed.  
  
"It—it's from...Dumbledore," Harry replied unbelievingly, holding out the letter. And, sure enough, Dumbledore's loopy signature was scrawled at the bottom.  
  
A/N: Why does Dumbledore want to see them???? Find out next chapter, same author, same story. Lata, folks!!! Oh, BTW, special thanks to my friends for helping me and inspiring me!!!! LOL! And Chelsey—ya couldn't stop over in Scotland for 2 little seconds, just to see him, could ya? jk g2g, pplz, c ya l8r 


	9. Bad News From Remus

Chapter 9: Bad News from Remus  
  
"Fr—from…from Dumbledore?!" Melissa asked, astonished. Harry almost fearfully looked at her before nodding gravely.  
  
"Yeah," he replied. "Here, listen.  
  
'To: Mr. and Ms. Potter. I have received information regarding your small family. I would like you to come to my office at half past three today. Good day to you, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger, whom I know will end up coming with you to see me. Sincerely, Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witch—'  
  
And his titles and everything else," Harry read aloud.  
  
"What do you think he found out about—" Melissa started, grabbing the letter from her twin,"—'our small family'?" she finished, in confusion. "Do you think he's found more relatives? Well, other than the Dursleys and the McKinnons?"  
  
"I don't know," Harry answered. "I don't think so, though. Dumbledore had once told me that he had looked and looked for living relatives, but had never found any."  
  
The four sixth years walked silently to their seats in the Great Hall, contemplating the reasons why Dumbledore would want to see them. They decided to just wait until they went to see the Headmaster to figure that one out.  
  
"We'll be free to go and visit Hagrid after lunch," Harry said, checking at his schedule. "We can stay until three, maybe, then come back and talk to Dumbledore."  
  
"Sure!"  
  
"Okay!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
They quickly ate their cold ham, chicken, and turkey sandwiches. Afterward, they sped past Seamus, Neville, and Dean, who were just entering the Great Hall as the four Gryffindors were leaving. They ran out the front door and started slowing down as they reached Hagrid's homey hut.  
  
"Hagrid! Hagrid, are you there?" Harry shouted, pounding on the door. Hagrid opened the door and showed them in.  
  
"Hello, there, Harry, Ron, Hermione. Who's yer friend?" he greeted them.  
  
"Hagrid, this is my sis-Ow!" He glared at Melissa, who had stepped on his foot. \/Nobody's supposed to know\/, she thought in a singsong voice. /\Well, then, why don't you tell that old bat up in the North Tower that?/\ Harry replied. \/Shut up\/, Melissa retorted. "This is our friend, Melissa. She just transferred here from Sullivan's, a wizarding school in Ireland." /\Better?/\ Harry asked tartly. \/Much\/, Melissa replied.  
  
"Well, it's nice ter meet yeh, Melissa," Hagrid thundered jovially, engulfing her hand in his. "Now, would anyone like some treacle fudge?" Melissa glanced at her friends to see their reactions; they had warned Melissa about Hagrid's cooking.  
  
"Don' worry. I bought it in Hogsmeade. I didn' make it," Hagrid reassured them, laughing at the anxious looks on Harry, Hermione, and Ron's faces. They relaxed and the four agreed to a piece of the fudge.  
  
They sat and talked for awhile until Hagrid brought them outside to give them a peek at what they would be working on for a few lessons in their Care of Magical Creatures class.  
  
"Don' tell any o' yer classmates what I'm plannin', though, a'right?" Hagrid made them promise before he led them outside.  
  
"Hagrid, it's not...flobberworms again, is it?" Hermione asked hesitantly. Hagrid looked hurt. "Why'd yeh have ter go an' ruin my surprise?" Hagrid remarked. At the sight of their apprehensive faces, Hagrid burst out laughing.  
  
"No, I'm just kidding," he replied, almost crying with mirth, he was laughing so hard. "No, they're out in the back o' me hut. Follow me."  
  
They walked through Hagrid's back door and down a small hill to a closed paddock, where they had gone in their third year to learn about hippogriffs. Hagrid opened the door and ushered them in. They stared at the two dozen or so creatures that were walking and running around. For several moments, no one said anything. Hagrid just stood there beaming, Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked puzzled, and Melissa looked amazed. Finally, Melissa spoke up.  
  
"Oh, Hagrid, where did you get them with their tails uncut?" she breathed, walking around the paddock.  
  
"I got 'em from my connection in the Magical Menagerie," Hagrid explained, picking one up and scratching its ear.  
  
"Will someone please tell us what they are?!" Ron exploded.  
  
"Crups. Uncut, baby crups," Melissa told him. "My aunt Liz and uncle Geoff kept and bred them in Ireland. That's their line of work. They're breeders for different magical animals. I helped take care of them over the summer hols," Melissa added, picking two of them up and allowing them to lick her face joyously.  
  
"Oh, they're adorable, Hagrid!" Hermione exclaimed. "Ohhhh, you are just the cutest thing in the world, aren't you?"  
  
"Aw, look, Harry, they like you," Ron pointed out, laughing. Harry had sat down on the ground and now had five or six Crups crawling all over him and licking his face.  
  
"Shut...up...Ron," Harry managed to choke out.  
  
"Now, Harry, be nice," Hagrid admonished. "After all, Ron was on'y statin' the obvious," he added, chuckling.  
  
"You guys, hey, uh, you guys, it's quarter after four," Hermione remarked, alarmed, after another half an hour or so, glancing at her watch.  
  
"Oh, crap!" Melissa exclaimed, setting down the crups in her lap and getting up.  
  
"Sorry, Hagrid, but we've got to go," Harry apologized, getting up with the rest. "We've got an appointment with Dumbledore at half past four...today!" Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Melissa sped out of the paddock, waving and calling goodbye to Hagrid  
  
"We're-going-to-be-late!" Harry panted. "It takes nearly thirty minutes to get up to Dumbledore's office from Hagrid's."  
  
"Excellent," Melissa managed to remark sarcastically.  
  
"Shut up, Melissa," Harry shot back. The four Gryffindors nearly flew up the staircases to Dumbledore's guardian gargoyle.  
  
"Oh, good, made it," Hermione remarked once they got there, breathing heavily.  
  
"Barely," Ron added, leaning against the wall.  
  
"Wait a minute. We don't know the password," Melissa said, finally catching her breath. Hermione, Melissa, and Ron turned and looked at Harry.  
  
"Each time I've been here, it's been some sort of candy," Harry pondered. The four teens started saying various candies in hesitant voices.  
  
"Um, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans?"  
  
"What about Drooble's Best Blowing Gum?"  
  
"Licorice Wands? Maybe?"  
  
"Acid Pops?"  
  
"How about...ooh, lemon drops?" Everyone looked at Harry. "What? That was the password in our second year."  
  
"Pepper Imps? Oh, come on! Just open up, you stupid thing! We have a meeting! Ouch!" Ron had gotten frustrated and kicked the stone gargoyle. He started hopping up and down on one foot, swearing like a sailor. "Oof!" Now he was sitting on the floor with Harry, Hermione, and Melissa laughing hysterically around him. They calmed down enough to continue questioning candies.  
  
"Toothflossing Stringmints?"  
  
"Jelly Slugs?"  
  
"Uh, Ice Mice?" At Melissa's candy, the gargoyle sprang aside and the wall split in two.  
  
"Nice guess," Ron told her appreciatively.  
  
"Thank you," she replied. Without wasting another moment, they raced up the spiral stairs, getting even dizzier than they normally would have. They had barely knocked on the door when it swung open.  
  
"Come in," Dumbledore invited, smiling.  
  
"Professor, we're really, really, really sorry we're late," Hermione apologized, wringing her hands. Dumbledore held up his hand.  
  
"I don't want to hear it," he said. He then turned and sat behind his desk. "I've heard that there was a little—er—incident in your Divination class?"  
  
"Um, yeah," Melissa replied.  
  
"She told the Gryffindors that you and Melissa are siblings?"  
  
"Um, yeah," Harry mumbled. Dumbledore closed his eyes and sighed.  
  
"All right," he said. "Well, I suppose it's all right if you tell people now. You may go."  
  
"Um, yeah," Ron responded, astonished. The four Gryffindors walked, stunned, out of the headmaster's office into the hallway. They waited there for the better of ten minutes, rethinking what had just gone on in their meeting with Dumbledore.  
  
"Whatever," Melissa said finally. They turned and walked to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
By the first week in October, Melissa, Hermione, Harry, and Ron settled into a comfortable schedule with their academics. They had explained to people that, yes, Harry and Melissa were twins; they had to keep it a secret for their safety. Everyone had accepted it, although it had shocked everyone, especially Malfoy, at first. Snape had become even more hateful to Harry now and equal to Melissa.  
  
It was at breakfast one warm October morning when the subject of the Quidditch team was brought up.  
  
"Hey, Harry, mate, I just heard from Oliver: Quidditch trials this Saturday," Fred told him, sitting down across from Hermione and grabbing a roll. "That's also when you lot choose the captain. Well, usually you wouldn't at tryouts, but, as everyone but you and Ronniekins here has left…yeah. You get it."  
  
"What positions are open on the team?" Melissa inquired curiously. Harry looked at her.  
  
"Do you play?"  
  
"Yeah. I was a Chaser for my house at Sullivan's," Melissa replied. Fred and George's eyes brightened.  
  
"Really? That's one of the positions that's open," George told her. "You'll have to try out."  
  
"Definitely," she agreed.  
  
"We'll have both Potters on the team if you make it," Harry remarked enthusiastically.  
  
"Awesome!" Fred and George exclaimed together. "If you make it, Melissa, Gryffindor's sure to win if you have the same Quidditch talent as Harry."  
  
Melissa grinned.  
  
"When are the tryouts again?" she asked.  
  
"Saturday. One o'clock," George replied, starting to eat.  
  
"You mean, tomorrow?" she repeated. George thought for a minute.  
  
"Oh, yeah, you're right," George said.  
  
"Short notice, huh?" Melissa scoffed.  
  
"You bet, Potter," Fred replied, smirking.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next day, Melissa scanned the ceiling of the Great Hall in search of her owl, Lily. Instead, she found Hedwig swooping down to her with a letter clamped in her beak.  
  
"Hi, Hedwig," Melissa cooed, stroking the snowy owl. "Do you want me to take that? Thanks." After taking Melissa's offering of bacon, Hedwig flew off.  
  
"Who sent it, Mel?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I dunno. Oh, Remus," Melissa replied, looking at the stamp. She slit the envelope open and started to read the letter. Her eyes widened. "Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh, Ron, Hermione!" She thrust the letter under their noses and they read it simultaneously.  
  
"Where's Harry?" Melissa asked frantically. "I have to get this to him immediately."  
  
She leapt up and ran out of the Great Hall, with Hermione and Ron racing after her, passing many bewildered students.  
  
"Where the hell is he?" she panted after running around for ten minutes.  
  
"I think he's down at the Quidditch pitch getting ready for tryouts," Ron told her.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me that ten minutes ago?" Melissa exclaimed, a wild, manic glint in her green eyes.  
  
"You were too busy running around," Ron replied defensively.  
  
"Oh," Melissa responded. "Come on, we've got to get down to the pitch."  
  
Fifteen minutes later, they were racing across the Quidditch pitch to Harry, Fred, and George.  
  
"Harry!" Melissa screamed, waving the letter. "Harry, we've got real trouble here!" Harry whirled around with a puzzled look on his face.  
  
"Mel?" Harry asked quizzically. "What are you doing here? Tryouts aren't until one."  
  
"Forget the freaking tryouts!" Melissa yelled. "Read this letter." She threw it into his hands. He looked at her strangely before reading.  
  
Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Melissa, VOLDEMORT'S GOING TO TRY AND GET INTO HOGWARTS ON THE 14th OCTOBER!!!!!!!! I heard it straight from one of Voldemort's followers. I've already warned Dumbledore. Get to Dumbledore. Wherever you are, GET TO DUMBLEDORE. He'll make sure the four of you are safe along with the rest of the students. Don't do anything stupid. Remus  
  
"Holy—," Harry breathed. The Weasley twins, Ron, and Hermione were silent. "We've got to find Dumbledore."  
  
"It looks like he's already found to you," Fred broke in, pointing. Everyone turned and looked. Dumbledore was motioning for them across the pitch.  
  
"Students, get inside immediately!" he shouted. After they nodded mutely, he turned and walked quickly back to the castle. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Melissa, Fred, and George all looked at each other before leaving the pitch and starting to head across the lawn.  
  
"Ow!" Both Harry's and Melissa's hand flew up to their foreheads; their scars were burning in fierce pain.  
  
"Oh, no," Harry whispered, looking around. Suddenly, they heard a voice call out to their left.  
  
"MELISSA!!!!!!" Melissa turned and saw her aunt Liz being held by a tall evil-looking man and her uncle Jeff being held in a viselike grip by a huge man.  
  
"Voldemort," Harry hissed angrily in front of Melissa.  
  
"Oh, my gosh," she whispered again, covering her mouth with her hand, the terror welling up inside her.  
  
"Hello, there, Harry, Melissa," Voldemort greeted. "Ready to die? Or will your relatives sacrifice themselves for you as well as your parents?"  
  
"Don't you dare talk about our parents!" Harry shouted bravely. "They'd still be here today if it weren't for you."  
  
"Yes, I do pride myself on that one little killing," Voldemort smirked, blowing an imaginary speck of dust off his wand.  
  
"You murderer," Hermione breathed. Voldemort gave a high evil laugh.  
  
"Now, are you ready to give up?"  
  
"Say no, Melissa!" Jeff yelled. "Say no!"  
  
"Wha—what about you?" Melissa asked, her voice trembling, tears shining in her eyes.  
  
"Just remember we'll stay with you no matter where you go," Liz shouted. "You can do it, Melissa, Harry, just say no."  
  
"Well?" Voldemort asked again. "Are you ready to die?"  
  
"No," Harry replied confidently. Melissa couldn't speak; she simply shook her head no.  
  
"Very well, then," Voldemort said, a tiny smile on his face. "Avada Kedavra!" he roared, pointing his wand at Liz and Jeff. They gave a high- pitched, pain-filled scream as the neon-green light engulfed them.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Melissa shrieked, running towards them.  
  
"Melissa!" Harry yelled, grabbing her around the middle and falling with her to the ground. Melissa pushed Harry away and started running the distance to Voldemort. Chuckling slightly, eyebrow raised, the Dark Lord raised his wand and pointed it at Melissa.  
  
"Melissa, no!" Harry shouted again. Voldemort muttered a spell under his breath and shot Snitch-fast shimmering green lights at Melissa. She was hit by them and thrown twenty feet into the air to land, rolling, near Harry, unconscious. Voldemort and his accomplice, grinning evilly, jumped onto waiting brooms and flew off into the morning sky. Melissa gained semi- consciousness as Harry hovered worriedly over her pale face.  
  
"Wha—Where—?" Realizing where she was and what she had just witnessed, Melissa starting sobbing hysterically and launched herself into Harry's arms. Harry had silent tears slipping down his face as he embraced his only relative that could stand him.  
  
"Are you okay?" Harry asked Melissa shakily as Ron, Fred, George, and Hermione crept up to the bodies. Melissa nodded.  
  
"Um, Melissa? And Harry, too," Fred asked hesitantly. He glanced at Hermione, Ron, and George for encouragement; it seemed they had temporarily been stricken mute. Hermione was facing the rest with Ron's arms wrapped around her. "We are really, really, really sorry, but your aunt and uncle are...dead."  
  
At this, Hermione turned and buried her tear-streaked face in Ron's chest. Melissa's dry, racking sobs penetrated their very souls and soon, they were all crying quietly. Suddenly, a bright red beam of light struck Melissa, knocking her unconscious again, and shoved Harry so he rolled fifteen feet away from his sister. A yellow light connected to a thin line shooting into the clouds shone around Melissa. Everyone else heard a malicious laugh from high in the sky. When they looked up, they saw a solitary Voldemort.  
  
"I'd like you to get her to wake up now!" he shouted, laughing, before flying around and off. Harry furiously started sending up curses and hexes in Voldemort's direction. Fred, George, and Ron began to help him less than ten seconds later. While the four Gryffindor boys were doing this, Melissa lay unconscious on the ground and Hermione crouched next to the Irish redhead; after a moment, Hermione signaled George to run up to the castle to find a teacher or Dumbledore. A few moments later, Dumbledore, Shelbie, Oliver, McGonagall, Snape, and Angelina came running down behind them.  
  
"Mr. Potter?" he said. "Please, take your sister and follow me. The rest of you, also," he added. Shelbie helped Harry pick up Melissa. Harry quickly gave Melissa a soft brotherly kiss, his unnoticed tear slipping onto Melissa's cold cheek.  
  
Silently and mournfully, they trudged back up to the castle in huddled groups, McGonagall and Snape staying behind to tend to the bodies.  
  
A/N: Not all of the chapters will be as dark and tragic as the end of this one. Lyl, evry1!!!!!!!!!! Special thanks to my readers and reviewers!!!!!!!!! Luv ya!!!!!! 


	10. The Lethargus Excessus Curse

Chapter 10: The Lethargus Excessus Curse  
  
It was a week after Voldemort's killing and bewitching of Melissa, and the Irish redhead still hadn't woken up. It seemed the Dark Lord had been true in his threat. Harry hovered over Melissa bed with Shelbie at his side, the two of them watching for any movement, any sign of life.  
  
"Are you sure she's going to wake up?" Harry asked Madam Pomfrey for the tenth time in the past four minutes.  
  
"Mr. Potter! If you ask me that question again, you're going to be lying in the bed right next to your sister!" Madam Pomfrey exploded.  
  
"Sorry," Harry apologized meekly, turning back to Melissa. Shelbie just looked like he had a migraine. They were back looking at Melissa's pale face worriedly when Ron and Hermione burst through the door. Harry quickly turned to them.  
  
"Did you find anything?" he asked. Ron and Hermione hesitated before answering.  
  
"Not a thing," Hermione replied finally. Harry hung his head dejectedly. Ron glared at Hermione as if to say, "Why the hell did you give him the bad news first?!" before trying to reassure his friend.  
  
"But we think that we may be able to find something on the spell You-Know- Who used in the Restricted Section. We were going to go talk to Dumbledore after talking to you," Ron said quickly. He looked at Melissa's still form. "Anything happen yet?"  
  
"Nothing," Harry replied bitterly, casting his gaze over Melissa. "Whatever Voldemort did to her, I'm going to make sure he pays."  
  
"Harry. She'll be okay. I know it," Shelbie told him, putting her hand on Harry's shoulder. "She's strong." Harry gave her a weak smile. Ron and Hermione smiled briefly, then left Harry and Shelbie alone.  
  
Shelbie nudged Harry, saying, "Go with them. Dumbledore wants to talk to you." Harry started to protest. "Go," Shelbie pressed, pushing Harry out the door. "I'll get you if something happens."  
  
"Fine," Harry finally gave in, sighing. "You're to alert me as soon is anything happens," he added, pointing his finger at Shelbie.  
  
"Relax! Now go!" Shelbie replied. Harry looked at Melissa one last time before Shelbie pushed him out the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ron! Hermione!"  
  
Ron and Hermione had just stepped off the stairway of Dumbledore's office, note form the headmaster in hand, when they heard their names called out. They glanced at each other suspiciously before turning around. They saw Harry racing up the corridor with a cage in his arms. Ron's mouth dropped open when he saw what was in the cage.  
  
"Harry—what...is that?!" Hermione asked, her eyes wide with shock.  
  
"I believe you mean…who is that," Ron told her. Harry didn't say a word, though his eyes were twinkling mischievously. Hermione looked at Ron with confusion in her eyes.  
  
"What do you mean, Ron?"  
  
"Look at the paws. What's odd about them?" Ron quizzed. Hermione bent down and examined the animal's paws. Realizing what Ron was talking about and why Harry was looking so incredibly smug, Hermione stood up straight with a gasp.  
  
"Harry, Ron, that's—that's…Pettigrew!" she finally managed to choke out.  
  
"Exactly," Harry replied simply. And so it was. Pettigrew, in rat form, was scampering nervously around the metal cage on his three good paws and one metal one. Harry held the cage up to his face to he could speak directly to the supposedly dead "hero".  
  
"Listen here, you filthy, disgusting, little "(here Harry used a couple of words that made Hermione exclaim his name and Ron's eyes widen in surprise) "I'm going to take you to see some friends of mine and you are going to tell them your story, whether we have to use Veritaserum or you just tell us outright," Harry hissed. Hermione was watching, not him, but the cage with apprehensive eyes.  
  
"Harry, did you use any sort of spell to make sure Pettigrew doesn't transform back and escape?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
"You bet. Did you think I would actually let this opportunity to get him imprisoned?" Harry replied.  
  
"Well…" Hermione avoided his gaze as she tried not to answer her friend's question.  
  
"Gee, thanks for the confidence, 'Mione," Harry told her dryly. "Of course I put a charm on the cage. An Unbreakable Charm."  
  
"Speaking of Unbreakable Charms, what did you do to Rita Skeeter last year?" Ron asked Hermione curiously. "Did you let her out?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Whaaaat?????"  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
"Kidding. Just kidding," Hermione reassured them. "I let her out when I got back to my house. She immediately transformed back and Disapparated after I warned her again."  
  
"Oh, good," Ron breathed. "Do you think she'll be writing any more insane headliners?"  
  
"Let's hope not. Or she'll be answering to me," Harry said darkly. Ron looked at him in alarm. "Especially if they're about me."  
  
"Oookay, Harry, maybe we should get you to Dumbledore, huh?" Hermione remarked, shooting a distressed look at Ron. She started ushering Harry the short distance down the hall to Dumbledore's gargoyle.  
  
"Ice Mice," Hermione stated. The gargoyle didn't move aside like it usually would; instead, it merely reached into a side compartment and produced a small piece of parchment and handed it to Ron. Ron looked at it strangely.  
  
"Where is he? He was just here a moment ago," Hermione wondered.  
  
"Oookay," Ron said after reading the note two or three times.  
  
"Oh, for heaven's sake. What does it say, Ron?" Hermione pressed.  
  
"It says 'Be back in twenty minutes'," Ron told them. "Where could he be?" Suddenly he looked up at the same time as Harry and Hermione. They looked as if a light bulb had clicked on over their heads.  
  
"Hospital wing," they said in unison, whispering for no reason. They raced off down the hall, the cage containing Pettigrew banging unceremoniously against Harry's legs.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
They reached the hospital wing less than ten minutes later and, sure enough, there was Dumbledore sitting on Melissa's bed, chatting pleasantly with Shelbie. Harry dropped the cage uncaringly on the bed to the right of them and hurried over to his sister's side.  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"Nothing has happened yet, Harry," Shelbie reported. She then spotted the cage on the bed that Hermione and Ron were keeping a wary eye on. "What's that?" Harry held up the cage and gestured to the rat inside.  
  
"Guess," Harry replied. Shelbie leant closer to the cage, then drew back, as Hermione had done when she realized who it was.  
  
"Pe—Pettigrew?!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Correct," Ron told her. Shelbie snarled and drew her wand. Harry flung his arm across his sister's friend, stopping her from performing one of the Unforgivables.  
  
"What are you doing, Harry?!" Shelbie exploded.  
  
"Professor, how can we get classified information from Pettigrew if you blew Pettigrew into a bazillion teeny tiny pieces?" Harry asked as if he were talking to a child.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Shelbie conceded after a moment.  
  
"Excuse me!" Dumbledore interrupted. "I believe we've had a breakthrough in how to help our young Ms. Potter over here!"  
  
"Huh?" Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Shelbie turned to the redhead, who was starting to stir.  
  
"Me—Melissa?" Harry whispered, as though it might be too good to be true. It was.  
  
"No. Not the…Lethargus Excessus," Melissa breathed before falling comatose again.  
  
"The…Lethargus Excessus?" Ron asked quizzically. "What's that?"  
  
"A very powerful spell," Dumbledore remarked, frowning. "Sometimes, it…may not be able to be reversed. Only a very powerful wizard is able to use it. I myself have never been able to master it. Harry? Where are you going?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Professor, but I can't just stand here helplessly while my only relative could possibly be dying," Harry replied grimly, snatching the slip of paper out of a startled Hermione's hand and racing from the room.  
  
"Harry!" Shelbie started after him only to find Remus Lupin had stepped in the way.  
  
"Re—Remus? What are you doing here so early?" Shelbie asked, the surprise showing in her eyes. "You weren't supposed to arrive for another few days."  
  
"Hello, Shelbie, Professor, Hermione, Ron," the former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher greeted cheerily, nodding at each person in turn. He walked over to Dumbledore to shake his hand. The headmaster was the only individual in the room that wasn't surprised to see Lupin. Hermione could only muster a tiny wave at the teacher.  
  
"Heh," Ron half-laughed/half-said-hi-through-his-astonishment.  
  
"Hello, Remus," Dumbledore replied pleasantly.  
  
"So, how's Melissa doing?" Remus asked, walking over to her bed and gazing at her still face. "Not too well, I'm guessing."  
  
"What…are you doing here?" Ron asked him. Remus smiled slightly.  
  
"What, I can't see my own goddaughter?" Remus replied.  
  
"You've never met her, though," Ron reminded him.  
  
"Oh, I know, but she and I have been writing to each other since she found out she was Lily's and James's daughter," Remus explained. "I've come here to teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes again."  
  
"But, Professor Lupin, that position's already filled," Hermione said. "Professor Wood is teaching that class," she added, gesturing at the young professor.  
  
"Hermione, my dear girl, Professor Wood is leaving," Dumbledore told her gently.  
  
"Whaaaat?" Ron exclaimed, jumping up. "She can't leave! You can't leave! She's the only one in this school that can keep Malfoy under control!" He faltered of here as Remus and Dumbledore all looked at him with their eyebrows cocked. "What? It's true."  
  
"Please calm down, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore reassured. "Ms. Wood is going to help the cause of light versus dark."  
  
"Of good versus evil," Shelbie volunteered.  
  
"The…Light Fighters versus the Death Eaters," Hermione volunteered. Shelbie looked at her.  
  
"Light Fighters?" she repeated.  
  
"Yeah, I just made it up. I figured that the Death Eaters had 'Death Eaters' and we don't have anything. Do you like it?" she replied.  
  
"Yeah, it's very catchy," Shelbie praised.  
  
"Thank you," Hermione said, grinning.  
  
"Us versus Voldemort," Remus supplied flatly, giving Hermione and Shelbie a look that quite plainly said, "Quit it".  
  
"Okay, okay, I get it," Ron told them, stopping the explanations. "I'm not stupid, you know."  
  
"Oh, Ronniekins, no one thinks you're stupid," Hermione cooed, patting his head.  
  
"Shut up, Hermione," Ron snapped. He looked around. "Where's Harry?"  
  
"He ran out about five minutes ago, remember?" Hermione reminded him.  
  
"Why did you stop me from running after Harry?" Shelbie asked Remus, turning to face her colleague.  
  
"Because I walked in the door," Remus told her. "I didn't realize I was stopping you from following him. And people might get suspicious if they see a teacher and two other students run sprinting though the halls. They might alert someone that doesn't particularly agree with us on all accounts. Like Fudge, for example."  
  
"Or You-Know-Who, if they're a Slytherin," Ron said. He looked at an amused Dumbledore and hastily added, "Not to be judgmental, but nearly all of the Slytherins' have Death Eaters for parents. They're bound to be reporting back to them."  
  
"I know, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore replied, surprising them all.  
  
"So we won't run, Remus," Shelbie told him exasperatedly. "We'll say that Ron and Hermione need our help on an extra credit assignment and you're visiting, so you decided to tag along."  
  
"Wait. What extra credit assignment?" Ron asked, alarmed. "We don't actually have to do one, do we?"  
  
"Oh, of course not, Ron," Hermione snapped, rolling her eyes and sighing. "Don't be thick."  
  
"Coming?" Remus invited, turning to the headmaster.  
  
"I'll stay here," Dumbledore declined. Remus shrugged.  
  
"Suit yourself." Turning to his three companions, he said, "Let's go find Harry."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry threw open the doors to the library only to have the librarian, Madam Pince, squawk a warning at him.  
  
"Mr. Potter!" she screeched. "Stop running this instant or I'll inform the headmaster! Where are you going? You're not allowed in there!"  
  
"I have a pass!" Harry shouted, throwing the signed parchment behind him and running through the doors marked "Restricted Section". He started pulling books off the shelves in groups of two and three and setting them down on a nearby table.  
  
"Harry!" The raven-haired fifteen-year-old turned and saw Remus, Hermione, and Shelbie racing towards him. Ron was hurriedly handing a note to an irritated Madam Pince and finally just threw it at her and ran to his friends.  
  
"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione asked him breathlessly.  
  
"I'm going to help my sister by finding the counter curse," Harry replied.  
  
"We're helping," Ron insisted. Harry started to protest, but when he saw the determined looks on his friends' and professors' faces, his take- control façade crumbled.  
  
"Thanks," was all he could muster.  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's start helping Melissa," Shelbie said. They all agreed and sat down next to the piles of books on the table that Harry had furiously pulled off the shelf. They were silent until, ten minutes later, Hermione let out a cry of triumph and scared everyone half to death.  
  
"I found it!" she shouted. "I found the spell You-Know-Who used on Melissa! It's in a book called The Top 20 Evilest Curses in Existence."  
  
"And you wonder why it's in the Restricted Section," Ron muttered sarcastically. Everyone laughed nervously and crowded around Hermione as she read the passage from the thick, dusty book.  
  
"The Lethargus Excessus curse, or the Killing Coma Curse, is the evilest curse a witch or wizard could use on another. Many people do not know about this curse. The Ministry of Magic has tried to make sure the wizarding community, as a whole, does not discover how to use this curse, for it has the most deadly of results. When this curse is used, the victim may be immobilized anywhere from seven days to six months. When they wake up, they will have had the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of the person who administered the curse projected into their mind. They will believe those thoughts are their own and act upon them. The longer they are immobilized, the more beliefs they believe are their own.  
  
The counter curse is known to the rare witch or wizard and, most times, they will not use it until what they want is done. The counter curse can only be performed by the giver of the original curse or by one person of the immediate family that the victim is closest to. The administer of the counter curse must be an unusually powerful wizard or this will not work. The counter curse takes more energy than performing the original. This will end only when the administer withdraws their thoughts from the victim's mind, says the counter curse, or…kills the victim."  
  
Everyone fell silent at her last three words. Suddenly, Harry pulled the book towards him and flipped to the back. He found what he was looking for and, muttering, "452, 452", flipped to page 452.  
  
"Found it," he stated victoriously, jabbing at the page. "The counter curse to Lethargus Excessus is Spiritus Excitare! Back to Melissa!"  
  
His companions exchanged worried glances as they followed their charging friend out of the library, not even bothering to check out the book, figuring Dumbledore would understand and would explain it to Madam Pince.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, sir! We found the spell!" Harry shouted, lugging the heavy book into the hospital wing.  
  
"I don't know if that'll do any good, Harry," Hermione commented hesitantly, coming into the room seconds after her friend. Her comment earned herself an icy glare from Harry.  
  
"She's right. We need an especially powerful wizard to conduct the spell," Shelbie defended. Harry stayed firm.  
  
"Well, I'm going to try it," he said determinedly. "In the book, it said, 'the counter curse can only be performed by the giver of the original curse or by one person of the immediate family that the victim is closest to.' I'm the only one left alive in our family she's close to and I'd like not to be an only child again. Excuse my language, but it sucked." Dumbledore nodded solemnly.  
  
"Go ahead then."  
  
Harry took a deep breath before looking around anxiously.  
  
"Where's Pettigrew?" he asked wildly. Hermione held up the cage with the thin mouse scampering around in it.  
  
"Right here," she replied. Harry breathed a sigh of relief before turning back to his sister.  
  
"Okay, here goes nothing," he said, rolling up his sleeves. Everyone in the room was silent with bated breath. "Spiritus Excitare!!!"  
  
"Um, Harry, nothing happened," Ron remarked quietly and tentatively after several moments.  
  
"I know," Harry whispered back, staring at Melissa.  
  
"Try again, Harry," Hermione urged, now filled with full-fledged confidence for her friend.  
  
"Okay," Harry replied, grinning shakily at his friend. "Spiritus Excitare!!!" he shouted with even greater force than before. This time, something happened. A huge, bright shower of multicolored sparks flew out of his wand to surround Melissa and pushed against Harry so he was shoved backward into Ron and Shelbie. He stayed there, staring, wide-eyed, like everyone else.  
  
Melissa was lifted into the air with hundreds of thousands of little bubbles underneath her. After several minutes, she was set gently back down on the bed and nearly all the bubbles disappeared. The only ones that remained were pearly blue ones. They gathered together and covered the redhead's face. Suddenly, a greenish-grey spirit came flying out of Melissa, and sneering at them all ducking to avoid the…thing that was flying around them, flew out the window, gibbering. With a shuddering gasp, Melissa's eyes flew open and she started crying. Harry raced to her side and helped her sit up.  
  
"Melissa? A—are you okay?" he asked fearfully.  
  
"No! I—I mean, yes, but that… It was awful!" she sobbed, hugging Harry tightly (A/N: We all know we want to! I do, anyway!). "It's like he was there, inside my mind, telling me to do all sorts of horrible things to you and all my friends."  
  
"It's okay, you're fine, he's gone," Harry soothed. They stayed this way for several minutes, with everyone in the room either crying silently (Hermione and Shelbie) or whispering sighs of relief (Dumbledore, Remus, and Ron). Madam Pomfrey came in a little while later, checked Melissa, pronounced she was okay, and let her free. They started to head off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower when Dumbledore placed his hand on Harry's shoulder.  
  
"Yes, Professor?"  
  
"Please follow me. I need to speak with you all about the Order," he responded quietly as Remus and Shelbie exchanged meaningful glances.  
  
A/N: Hope you liked it!!!!!! I worked really, really, really hard on chapters 9 and 10, just ask my friends. Anyway, please, please read and review!!!!!!!!! Buh-bye!!!!!! 


	11. The Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 11: The Order of the Phoenix  
  
Dumbledore led Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Melissa to his office with Shelbie and Remus following them in, still dumbstruck. They entered the headmaster's office to find McGonagall and Snape waiting for them there. Snape stood up and swept over to Dumbledore's side as soon as the Headmaster stepped into his office.  
  
"Professor, are you really going to do what I believe you are?" Snape asked quietly, as though to exclude the other teachers and students in the room.  
  
"Yes, Severus, I am creating a special branch of the Order in which students dedicated to the war may join," Dumbledore answered, loud enough for everyone to hear, much to Snape's distaste. "What happened to Ms. Potter could also have happened to any other person in the wizarding world."  
  
"We want to be the first members," Harry and Melissa said suddenly.  
  
Dumbledore looked sharply at them before disappearing into a side room. There was a flash of white light and then Dumbledore reappeared a moment later carrying a large orb with what looked like a glass bird inside. To help the headmaster, Shelbie conjured a table into the middle of the room for him to put the orb on. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Melissa cautiously and curiously gathered around then glowing sphere.  
  
"Professor, what is that?" Hermione asked finally, still staring at the orb in incredulity and unbelief.  
  
"That, my dear girl…is the Orb of the Phoenix," Dumbledore replied. "What you are to do is place your right hand on the top of the Orb. If the Orb glows an electric blue, you will be initiated into the Order."  
  
"Dumbledore, I'm sorry, but this is absurd," Snape broke in. Harry glanced at him sharply. \/Harry, am I going crazy, or did I detect a hint of panic in Snape's voice?\/ Melissa's voice echoed curiously in Harry's head. /\Don't worry, dear sister, you're as sane as any of us in the room. Well, with the exception of Snape. He's definitely panicked/\, Harry replied with satisfaction in his voice. Dumbledore observed him with slight amusement.  
  
"Really, Severus? Why is trying to save the only world all people, wizard, witch, and Muggle alike, have ever known absurd?" Dumbledore asked him.  
  
"No, not that, initiating these…children," Snape spat out.  
  
"Severus, these children, as you say, are some of the most powerful witches and wizards of their generation," Dumbledore answered him, much to the astonishment of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Melissa. Simultaneously, all four mouths on the Gryffindors dropped open in pure shock. Dumbledore continued. "We need all their help."  
  
"Professor, a—about that 'powerful' part," Harry said weakly. Dumbledore smiled at their shocked expressions.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Potter, whether you know it or not, you and your friends are among the more gifted of your class."  
  
"Okay," Ron choked out. (A/N: Like in the first movie when they're all in the Forbidden Forest and they're about to split up.)  
  
"Now, Harry, step up here and place your right hand on top of the orb," Dumbledore instructed. Tentatively, Harry did so and immediately, it seemed as though he was struck frozen. He stayed that way for about a minute before the Orb released him from the trance. Hovering in the air above the Orb was a tiny replica of it. Harry caught it and pocketed it after a moment of amazed examination.  
  
The same thing happened to Melissa, Ron and Hermione as it did to Harry. The only difference was the color of the miniOrbs. The phoenixes inside Harry and Melissa's were a brilliant, glittering emerald-green while Ron and Hermione's were of a deep blue hue.  
  
"Remus, Shelbie, students, please leave Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and I alone," Dumbledore requested after Hermione pocketed her miniOrb. Shelbie, and Remus exchanged knowing glances before sweeping the curious sixth-years out of the room, closing the door behind them. As soon as the six of them reached the hallway, Harry spun around to face the adults.  
  
"What was the all about?"  
  
"Yeah, that was kind of rude," Ron added.  
  
"Listen to me. I want you to understand that you are not to be spreading this around," Remus replied quietly, almost menacingly. "The reason Snape was so nervous was because he's a spy for us. Voldemort thinks Snape is loyal to him and is spying on us for him."  
  
The expressions on Harry, Hermione, and Melissa's faces were identical to the ones they wore in the office. Ron just looked confused.  
  
"Wait…what??" Remus rolled his eyes and repeated his statement. "Ohhh, okay, go ahead."  
  
Remus sighed exasperatedly and continued.  
  
"Snape will almost definitely report false information about anything, but especially this. He's still questionable in my eyes. I just don't like him. Either way, you four, I want you to be careful now more than ever."  
  
"Wait a moment, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," Ron exploded. "Almost definitely?! The man could be a freaking Death Eater! What d'you mean, he'll almost definitely report false information?! He could be telling Voldemort top-secret defensive tactics!" Ron raged as the others rolled their eyes at his vivid imagination. (A/N: Yeah, I'm one to talk…) "Or—or even worse, he could pull out his wand and use a curse to kill any of us at any time! I say get rid of him!"  
  
"Ron, shut up," Shelbie snapped. A loud scraping behind them made everyone in the hall whirl around. Dumbledore and McGonagall, following a shaky Snape, emerged from the hidden office. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at the scene he saw before him.  
  
"Remus, I would like to speak with you. Harry, Melissa, Hermione, Ron, Professor McGonagall will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower. Shelbie, you know what to do," Dumbledore told them. He motioned to Remus to follow him. He stopped and turned to face the feminine half of the Potter twins. "Melissa, I believe you have homework to catch up on?"  
  
Melissa let out an audible groan before grumbling miserably about how late she'll have to stay up for the next couple of days to finish all the homework and class work she just knew was piled up on her bed. Firmly, McGonagall steered them in the direction of their dorms while Shelbie went the opposite way; Snape headed down a side passage; and Remus walked up the stairs behind the gargoyle to talk with Dumbledore  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next day, Melissa walked into the Great Hall at breakfast with her friends, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. They had stayed up until around midnight discussing Snape's double-agent role and other aspects of the day. Melissa had completely abandoned her work as to be able to participate in the argument, much to the disapproval of Hermione.  
  
"You're going to get so far behind in your work, you're not going to be able to catch up in time for exams," she had said.  
  
"I'll catch up," Melissa had retorted. She then, with a huge grin on her face, added mischievously, "just not tonight."  
  
"Like brother, like sister," Hermione remarked to no one in particular.  
  
"That's the way it's meant to be," Harry told her, grinning, as he gave his twin a high five.  
  
Now, several hours later, they stumbled sleepily into the Hall and found their places at breakfast. Hermione looked up at the High Table before turning excitedly to her friends, now wide-awake.  
  
"You guys, look up at the High Table," she instructed. "Tell me who's missing." The other three glanced blearily up at the teacher's table and saw Remus smiling at them from the same place he sat in two years earlier before turning back to talk with Professor Sprout. For several seconds, they stared at the table, scanning it, before they realized the most loathed teacher in the school had disappeared.  
  
"He's gone!" Ron crowed, doing a little victory dance in his seat.  
  
"And will you check out who's taken his place?" Melissa told them, staring at Snape's replacement. The others followed her gaze and they, too, stared in astonishment when they saw.  
  
"Tonks?!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione breathed as the young woman walked to her seat, grinning happily. They scrambled from their seats and ran up to Tonks. Melissa had met Tonks near the end of September when she had come to speak privately with Dumbledore about the Order. She still refused to tell them what they talked about.  
  
"Tonks, what are you doing here?" Harry panted/asked her.  
  
"That's Professor Tonks to you, Mr. Potter," she replied severely. The four Gryffindors stared in disbelief at her before she grinned.  
  
"You mean…Snape's been sacked?" Ron asked hopefully. Tonks shook his head.  
  
"Nope. I'm a substitute. Snape is taking some time off. He was called for a meeting and a special assignment by…" Tonks left the statement dangling. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Melissa quickly caught his drift. "I'm here for about a month and a half, starting in two weeks. Albus owled me yesterday, I arrived last night, and he invited me to stay the night."  
  
"Yahoo!!!!!" Ron began to dance wildly, earning him many wondering stares and, finally, an audience.  
  
A/N: Hehehe…Ron dancing…hehe…funny sight… 


	12. Quidditch

Chapter 12: Quidditch  
  
Later that day, with Oliver supervising, the Gryffindors held tryouts for the Quidditch team. Before they started, though, there was a teeny issue to discuss...  
  
"As everyone knows, Gryffindor no longer has a team captain since the new one last year, Angelina, left," the handsome nineteen-year-old pointed out. "McGonagall has chosen Harry as the new captain."  
  
Harry looked completely taken aback.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Harry, are you ready to accept the immense responsibility?" Oliver asked, a teasing twinkle in his eyes..  
  
"Wait...what?!" Harry burst out.  
  
"McGonagall believes you should be the new captain," Oliver explained. "I think so, too. Do you want to be? Or should we have her pick someone else?"  
  
"Yes! I mean, no! No, don't pick anyone else! No, no, no, no, no!" Harry exclaimed joyously.  
  
"Well, then, everyone, meet Harry Potter, the Gryffindor Seeker and new team captain!" Oliver announced as if the people trying out hadn't been listening raptly. Suddenly, Harry disappeared under all the people hugging and congratulating him. After several minutes of mini celebration (the real thing would be going on later in the common room), Oliver clapped his hands for attention. "Okay. Harry, let's get these tryouts started!"  
  
"I don't know what to do," a startled Harry told Oliver.  
  
"Calm down, I'm just kidding," Oliver reassured. "You're gonna help me. Okay, everyone trying out for Chaser, go over here. Everyone trying out for Beater, go over here. Everyone trying out for Keeper, go over here." Everyone trying out nodded and headed off to the designated areas, and everyone that was just watching backed off to the side. "Good."  
  
Oliver spoke to Harry for a few moments before jumping onto his broom and zooming up into the air.  
  
"Great. Okay, we'll start off with Chaser tryouts how about...Seamus to start? Seamus?" Harry called. Seamus picked up his broom and trotted over to where Harry stood waiting with the Quaffle. "Okay, you get five tries to make a goal. Whoever makes the most goals is the new Chaser," the Seeker instructed, addressing the other four people trying out also.  
  
Seamus climbed onto his broom with the Quaffle under his arm and a determined look on his face and kicked off hard, soaring into the sky. After a moment, the Irish boy flew in towards the middle hoop and threw the ball as hard as possible. Alicia dove and caught it easily. Backing up, Seamus tricked Alicia into thinking he was going to try and get through the left hoop when he turned sharply towards the right and managed to score. The next two times he missed and the fifth, he scored. Seamus then flew back down to land next to Dean.  
  
"All right, good job, Seamus," Harry said as he decided who to call up next. "Colin Creevey, come on down!" Colin jumped up excitedly and tripped over his feet in his hurry to get to Harry. "Calm down, there. We have all afternoon," Harry warned him jokingly. Colin blushed a bright red from having made a fool of himself in front of everyone, especially his idol, as he jogged over to the captain. He mounted his broom and kicked off. When he landed five minutes later, he had only scored once. Harry looked incredibly skeptical as he made notes on his clipboard.  
  
"O—kay. Um, how about Kara Simmons?" Harry asked, referring to the third year Gryffindor blonde. Kara stood up and brushed off her robes as she confidently walked over to the starting point. She set off and, with amazing grace, speed, and skill, easily made 4 out of the 5 shots. Harry looked at her approvingly.  
  
"Excellent, Kara, very good," Harry applauded. Kara's friends hurried over to congratulate her before receiving a stern look from Harry. Apparently, he wanted the tryouts to be a success. Melissa had to hide a grin from her twin and noticed Ron and Hermione were trying to do the same thing.  
  
"Ron, let's go! Your turn!" Harry called to his best friend. Ron swallowed nervously and walked to his friend. He pushed off and immediately shot a goal. In the next few minutes, he had the same score as Kara, four out of five. Harry congratulated Ron on a good job and consulted his clipboard for a moment before saying, "Mel, your turn!"  
  
Melissa felt her heart quicken with nervousness as she stood up and walked over to Harry. Harry smiled at her and, barely moving his lips, said, "Good luck." Melissa nodded and smiled also as she mounted her DragonSpeed 480 (the newest broom on the market). It was nearly identical to and made by the same company as the Firebolts. She kicked off and felt energy and adrenaline flow through her veins, felt the wind whip through her loosened hair, heard the gasps of the small, but gathering crowd beneath her as she executed several flips and turns to shake off her anxiety.  
  
"Damn, can she fly!" Melissa heard someone exclaim (Seamus, she thought) from below, making her smile with pride and satisfaction.  
  
She leveled herself off and faced Oliver, who tossed her the Quaffle, grinned, and called, "Good luck, Mel."  
  
"Thanks, Ol," Melissa replied, grinning in response. Suddenly, she was off. She performed a complicated set of twists, turns, dives, and direction-changes before successfully distracting Oliver and scoring her a goal. The former captain handed her the Quaffle as Melissa passed by her. The next three shots proved to be successful also; she had thoroughly accomplished baffling Oliver. The fifth and final shot confirmed that Oliver was trying her very best to try and block Melissa's shot, but without achieving it.  
  
The cheers and screams below were deafening as a flushed, grinning Melissa landed gracefully and dismounted. Harry looked thrilled and stunned all at the same time. It was a good thing Melissa was the last one trying out, because no one would have been able to get a word in edgewise. She sat down next to Hermione, Seamus, and Ron as the tryouts for Beaters and the Keeper continued. Finally, the tryouts finished and he noise died down and Oliver, who had been standing off to one side conversing with Harry, announced that they had made a decision.  
  
"We're pleased to announce that our new Gryffindor team Chasers—" Harry started. Oliver cut him off at this point, a serious look on his face.  
  
"We want you to know, that for those of you that don't get chosen, and for the three that do, it as nothing to do with the their connection on the team," he said quietly. "It just means these people was the best in the air and handling the broom. Sorry, Harry, go on."  
  
"Thanks, Ol," Harry replied wryly. "Anyway," he continued with a pointed look at a slightly embarrassed Oliver, "our new Chasers are…Kara Simmons, Ron Weasley, and Melissa Potter!" Oliver held up his hand to halt the cheers as Harry continued the announcements. "Our new Beaters are…Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas!" Dean and Seamus high-fived each other; Seamus had tried out for all three of the open positions. "Our new Keeper is…Lavender Brown!" Everyone applauded those that had made the team. Oliver wouldn't let there be much celebration; he said that's what the common room is for. He handed the new team a copy of practices before ushering all the students back to the castle. Harry gave Melissa huge hug.  
  
"Mum and Dad would be so proud if they were here, don't you think?" Harry asked, his arm draped around her shoulders.  
  
"I wish they could be here," Melissa whispered, staring straight ahead. "I wish Liz and Jeff could be here, too," she added, tears welling up in her eyes. Harry turned his head and stared out into the distance before whipping it back around.  
  
"Did you know Dad was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team?" he asked her. Melissa shook her head mutely. "Hm." Harry said no more. At this time, Ron and Hermione finally pushed their way through the crowd to reach their friends.  
  
"Congratulations, both of you!" Hermione cried.  
  
"Yeah, that's awesome," Ron echoed. "Mel, you have to show me some of those moves sometime."  
  
"Sure!" Melissa replied enthusiastically as she received a hug from Ron. "And congratulations to you, too! We're both Chasers!" Ron grinned in response.  
  
Harry had pulled Hermione aside and now was talking urgently to her. Finally, she nodded and both came back over to their friends.  
  
"Mel, I've got something to show you," Harry said when they reached the castle.  
  
"Come on, Ron, let's go play a game of chess," Hermione remarked casually, yet her voice hinted that this was meant to be family moment. Ron got the picture and headed towards Gryffindor tower with Hermione and everyone else.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry brought Melissa to the trophy room where the Quidditch awards were. In a corner, hanging on the wall, was the award for when James Potter was a Gryffindor Chaser. Melissa stood, rooted, to the spot where she was. After a moment, she walked to the trophy and lightly touched her father's name.  
  
"Dad was a Chaser?" she whispered almost inaudibly.  
  
"Mm-hm," Harry replied, crossing the room to stand next to his sister. "McGonagall said he was one of the best."  
  
"He-he was?"  
  
"Yup. Seems his talent is showing through in us both," Harry stated, giving Melissa a hug.  
  
They stayed there for several more minutes, brother and sister standing side-by-side, before leaving to go to the party in Gryffindor Tower.  
  
A/N: How'd you like it? Sorry it took so long. I had the WORST writer's block and on top of that, I went on vacation for three days to visit my mom's friend and her family in Washington, D.C. Then, we drove to Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina for two weeks, my family coming down after one week. So you can imagine how much I was distracted, what with pedicures, manicures, shopping, cute beach guys, the beach itself, the pool, tons of my friend's relatives, and other stuff. I did find time to write, although most of the time it was between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. Oh, well! Lata! 


	13. The First Match of the Season

Chapter 13: The First Match of the Season  
  
Several weeks later, Melissa walked into Potions with her fellow Gryffindors, yawning and rubbing her eyes. They had a party last night for no apparent reason, which went against the rules Hermione had set down for them at the beginning of the year. It ran just a little late. They finally got to bed at around 3:30. Her mouth, along with those of her friends, dropped when they stepped over the threshold.  
  
A grinning Tonks was leaning up against the desk, wearing a black leather miniskirt and a bright blue shirt underneath her deep blue robe.  
  
"Tonks!" Harry exclaimed, staring at the young lady.  
  
"Hello, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Melissa," he greeted. Several people gave the pretty Metamorphmagus odd looks when they caught sight of her matching fluorescent blue hair. Ignoring them, she turned to Melissa.  
  
"Hey, Melissa. Feeling better?" she asked, grinning. Melissa laughed and punched her lightly in the arm. She knew very well that she was feeling fine after two weeks.  
  
"If the sentimental moment is over, can class get started?" a cold voice drawled. Hermione sighed and walked calmly over to Malfoy.  
  
"Shut up," she announced slowly, carefully enunciating every word. Having said this, she drew back her fist, only to have it caught by Harry and Ron. She pulled back her other hand, this time having it held back by Melissa. Tonks had hidden a smile while excusing herself for a moment and disappearing into a back room.  
  
"You guys aren't any fun," she pouted.  
  
"We know," the three replied wryly. Melissa let go of Hermione after Ron came over and walked over to Malfoy. She snatched up the blonde's inkbottle, unstoppered it and dribbled it down a sputtering Malfoy's front.  
  
"A gift, Malfoy, from me to you," Melissa said, dropping the bottle. It chattered into pieces when it hit the floor.  
  
"I hate you," Malfoy hissed.  
  
"I know," Melissa told him. A yelp and a bright flash of light from the back room distracted them from their verbal sparring.  
  
"Tonks?" Harry called worriedly. "You okay?" Tonks stumbled back into the room, adjusting and dusting off her robes.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Tonks replied. She shuddered a bit. "I hate bugs." She shivered again and shook herself like that would make her braver against the little bug armies of the world. (A/N: She thought they were out to get her. She thought they had, like, tactics just to try and make her cry…) "Okay, so, time for class!"  
  
Melissa and Malfoy walked away from each other, on the way, Melissa sticking her tongue out at the Slytherin in a ridiculously childish fashion. "I do not need you making trouble in my class," Tonks hissed in Melissa's ear as she passed. "I want people to like me, unlike Snape," she added, shrugging.  
  
"Sorry," Melissa apologized. "He's making me angry." "Ignore him and let's get to class," Hermione broke in, giving them both pointed looks. Tonks nodded, then walked over to her previous position: leaning on her desk.  
  
"Okay, class, welcome. I'm Professor Tonks" ("Well, duh," Malfoy muttered to Crabbe.) "Ten points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy, and you all are mine for the next hour and a half," Tonks introduced herself.  
  
"B—but, Professor, I'm in your house," Malfoy sputtered. "You can't take points away from your own house."  
  
"Wanna bet?" Tonks asked him dryly. Malfoy scowled in response. "Anyway, what have you guys been doing with Professor Snape?"  
  
As usual, Hermione's hand was up first.  
  
"Yeah, Hermione?"  
  
"In Professor Snape's class, we were learning about poison antidotes," she told her. "We were supposed to be testing them this class so you can imagine how relieved we are that Snape isn't here."  
  
"Oh, trust me, I can imagine," Tonks replied. "Well, that sounds just a little too dreary and boring. What do you guys want to study?"  
  
Hands flew up from every seat in the room.  
  
"Uh, yes, um, Ms. Parkinson?" Tonks called.  
  
"I want to learn about...love potions," Pansy said, breathing the last two words and turning to stare at Malfoy and cling to his arm. Every Gryffindor burst out laughing as Malfoy looked sickened and groaned.  
  
"Okay, uh, no," Tonks stressed.  
  
"Parkinson, don't you know that Love Potions aren't allowed on school campus?" Hermione asked incredulously, turning around in her seat to stare at the pug-faced girl. Pansy pouted.  
  
"Well, they should be," she retorted.  
  
"Well, they're not," Hermione returned, turning back around and rolling her eyes.  
  
"Gryffindor," Pansy muttered accusingly, throwing Hermione a dark look.  
  
"Heard that," Hermione called, her back to Pansy.  
  
"Okay! So, what does anyone else want to study?" Tonks asked loudly. Twenty hands flew into the air, and, grinning, Tonks began calling on people and writing down their suggestions. It soon became evident who the two favorite teachers were at Hogwarts.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Welcome, everybody, to the first Quidditch match of the year!!!!!" Ginny Weasley yelled into the magical microphone. "Today's match is Gryffindor versus Slytherin!!!!"  
  
"Ready, Mel?" Harry asked, turning around and glancing at his twin.  
  
"Um, no?" Melissa's stomach felt like it had an infestation of butterflies.  
  
"Oh, please, Melissa! You've done this stuff hundreds of times in practice," Dean snorted.  
  
"Besides, it's time to play," Kara whispered happily next to her. The gate in front of them was rising and the deafening roar of the crowd rose steadily. All seven Gryffindors mounted their broomsticks with varying degrees of excitement and nervousness.  
  
"Let's play!!!!!!!!" Harry shouted, kicking off determinably with Lavender next to him. Dean and Seamus followed, whooping and waving their Beaters' clubs. Getting swept up in the excitement of the others and forgetting her nervousness, Melissa kicked off with Kara and Ron on either side of her, all three screaming and cheering elatedly.  
  
"Here comes the Gryffindor team, a fantastic display of talent and seven people that truly define the word 'team'!" Ginny introduced. "Captain Harry Potter as Seeker, Lavender Brown as Keeper, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan as Beaters, and Melissa Potter, Kara Simmons, and Ron Weasley as Chasers! Next, come the Slytherin team, who all look like they've—"  
  
"Ms. Weasley!" Ginny was stopped from saying what he would have by Professor McGonagall giving him a warning look and calling his name.  
  
"Okay, sorry, Professor. Anyway, the Slytherin team consists of Captain Draco Malfoy—boo—" ("WEASLEY!") "Sorry, Professor! Captain Draco Malfoy playing Seeker, Samuel Bletchley playing Keeper, Brendan Derrick and Jake Bole playing Beater, and Malik Montague, Mario Venetti, and Matthew Warrington playing Chasers! Everyone, give the two teams a big, appreciative hand, even if you don't want to applaud the Slytherin team!"  
  
"Ms. Weasley, I'm warning you!" McGonagall shouted dangerously.  
  
"Sorry, Professor, I couldn't help it!"  
  
They circled the pitch several times, getting louder screams and shouts each time they completed a lap. Finally, they settled around the center starting point where Oliver was sitting on the closed, straining-to-get- open Quidditch chest.  
  
"Okay, you guys, let's have a nice, competitive game, try not to kill each other, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy," Oliver said, eyeing the two captains, who were glaring maliciously at each other. Malfoy had been voted captain when Marcus Flint finally graduated.  
  
(A/N: Am I the only one that realized that in book one, JKR said Flint was a burly sixth-year that looked as though he had a bit of troll blood in him, which, under the circumstance, meant that he would have been a seventh year and graduated in Harry's second year, yet he was also in book three, where he would have been an eighth-year, although there is no such year? It also said in the second book that Flint was a sixth-year. A simple mistake…or an indication that Flint was held back 'cuz he was too stupid or something? Did anyone else notice that???)  
  
A sixth-year, Mario Venetti, had taken the Chaser position Flint had occupied. Oliver stood up and opened the chest, jumping away just in time as the Bludgers shot up into the air.  
  
"Professor Wood unleashes the Bludgers, closely followed by the Golden Snitch," Ginny commentated. Oliver clambered up onto his broom and, before kicking off, threw the Quaffle up, signaling the start of the game. Melissa and Harry exchanged high fives and grins as a means of wishing each other good luck. They couldn't say anything because of the noise engulfing them.  
  
/\Don't worry, Mel. You'll be fantastic/\, Harry mentally told her, quelling her anxieties.  
  
\/You're right. I'm a Potter\/, Melissa replied, her own laugh echoing in her head. \/We're meant to be the victors on the Quidditch field. Watch it!\/  
  
Harry ducked just in time. A heavy, black Bludger had come pelting his way and would have struck his head had Melissa not warned him.  
  
/\Maybe we should pay attention to the game so we're not killed by a Bludger or otherwise/\, Harry suggested weakly.  
  
\/Yeah, you think?\/ Melissa asked sarcastically. Harry grinned in response and they parted ways, Melissa to help Kara and Ron get past Bletchley to score and Harry to shove Malfoy out of the way in the search for the Snitch. Melissa bumped purposely into Kara.  
  
"Hand me the Quaffle and I'll pass it to Ron, though I'll make like I'm hiding it my robes," she whispered urgently. "He's right near the goal." Kara nodded tersely, her eyes never leaving the leering Slytherin Keeper in front of her. She discretely handed Melissa the Quaffle as Ron and Harry, not having spotted the Snitch yet, distracted Bletchley. Melissa swooped up to Ron and secretly handed him the Quaffle before zooming off holding what looked like a lump in her Quidditch robes.  
  
"Melissa Potter tries to swing towards the goal—duck, Melissa, Bludger behind you!" Ginny shouted defensively. "Ohhh, that had to hurt! Bole gets a Bludger in the stomach after hitting one towards Dean Thomas. Dean just hit it right back. Whoa! I don't think any of us expected that! Katie Bell scores! How the hell…? Anyway, ten points for Gryffindor! Oh! And, uh, sorry, Professor, about the swearing bit and…yeah."  
  
An hour later, there still wasn't any sign of the Snitch for Harry. The score was 120-110, Gryffindor in the lead. Melissa had scored five goals, Ron had scored four, and Kara three. There hadn't been any serious injuries so far, unless you counted when Seamus Finnigan somehow managed to hit himself, Melissa, and Kara in the forehead, leaving all three a little dazed, but still alert. Ginny was still commentating, though McGonagall had already had to warn her over a dozen times to stay unbiased.  
  
"Venetti swerves past Simmons and the female Potter and…come on, Alicia! He's a big, ugly a—"  
  
"Ms. Weasley, give me that microphone!" McGonagall insisted, tugging on the magical amplifier.  
  
"Sorry, Professor, it won't happen again! Slytherin Beater Derrick chucks a Bludger at Ron Weasley in retaliation of the last goal she made. Luckily, she dove in time. Dunno why it took him so long to figure out Gryffindor scored again. Bole slammed a Bludger towards Gryffindor Keeper Brown, blocked by Seamus Finnigan or Dean Thomas, they're too far away, I can't which tell from here. Weasley's getting close to the goal with Potter—the female one, is this confusing for anyone else? —And Simmons guarding her. She shoots down the pitch and is blocked on one side by...Seeker Malfoy?! What the hell is he doing there? Oh, sorry, Professor. Anyway, Weasley swerves around Malfoy and does a funny sort of distraction twist thing before...does he do it? YES!!!! HE SCORES!!!!"  
  
Ron pumped his hand in the air in a victorious motion. Bole and Derrick, angry with Gryffindor for having made yet another goal on them, chucked their Beaters clubs after hitting Bludgers at Ron. They both hit him in the face and one of the Bludgers in the stomach. The other Bludger missed. A time out was called as Ron gently floated down to the ground, clutching his face and stomach in excruciating pain. (A/N: Wordly Wise word, my NDA eighth grade friends!!!!!) Melissa and Kara flew over to him and saw he got to Madam Pomfrey immediately when they landed. Up in the air, Lavender was gliding worriedly back and forth in the air and Harry was vainly trying to hold both Dean and Seamus back from murdering the Slytherin Beaters.  
  
"Oh! And that was a penalty if there ever was one! Bole and Derrick, those FILTHY, CHEATING, SCUM-OF-THE-EARTH, WORTHLESS, PIECE-OF-SLYTHERIN- CRAP, NASTY BA—" (A/N: I'll leave you to your imagination here…) Ginny was howling into the megaphone, dancing and hopping out of any McGonagall—like teachers' grasp. Five minutes later, Ron strode back out onto the field, cleared of the blood and broken nose he had gotten.  
  
"Here we go! Ron Weasley is back in the game, fixed and cleaned up by the wonderful, miracle worker, Madam Pomfrey!" Ginny exclaimed as Ron kicked off and met up with the rest of his team in the air. "Play is back in session and Slytherin takes the Quaffle. Immediately, Montague, Venetti, and Warrington somehow manage to score. It's now 130-120, Gryffindor. Gryffindor takes possession of the Quaffle and—wait. Was that the Snitch?" All activity ceased as both Harry and Malfoy shot after the fluttering gold ball. They closed in and dove one last effort to close the gap. Suddenly, they tumbled off their brooms landed in a tangle of arms and legs on the ground, their broomsticks lying forgotten on the ground near them. Harry's arm and Malfoy's arm rose from the fight, hands clasped together. Everyone in the stadium held their breath as they focused their Omnioculars at the two Seekers on the ground. Melissa flew over and borrowed Hermione's. She focused them on Harry and Malfoy's hands and saw…  
  
A/N: Heh heh heh! I'm feeling decidedly evil today, so I made this chapter a cliffie! Don't worry; chapter 14 will be up soon. Just gotta finish typing it out. I'm hoping it'll be up by the 24 of August at the latest. Lots of love to all my readers and even more to my reviewers! I love you all; you totally make my day! Happy reading! 


	14. The Results Are In

Chapter 14: A Note from the Author  
  
Hi, everybody! Okay, teeny bit of bad news. Turns out the next chapter isn't going to be up as soon as I thought. I have awful writer's block and ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA of what to write! Help! If anyone has ANY ideas whatsoever and feel like being my best friend (I'll totally love you forever if you help me!), give me ideas!!!!!!! Thanks to everyone that reviewed!!! Love you all tons! Always yours, Katie  
  
P.S. Help me!!!!!!! 


	15. Harry's POV

Chapter 14: The Results Are In  
  
A/N: That's right, it's up!!!!!! I've FINALLY finished chapter 14. So, after being longtime overdue…chapter 14, ladies and gentlemen!!! Enjoy!!!!!  
  
Melissa was in astonishment at what she saw.  
  
"Melissa, what is it?" Hermione asked anxiously. Neville, Parvati, and the other Gryffindors stared in earnest at her.  
  
"Hang on," she muttered, thrusting Hermione's Omnioculars back at her. She flew down to Harry and Malfoy, who were struggling fiercely on the field, their broomsticks lay forgotten.  
  
"Harry, what's going on?" Melissa hissed, hovering above the two captains.  
  
"We've both got it," Harry replied, never taking his glaring stare off his rival.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"We've both caught the bloody Snitch," he replied as he landed a blow in the side of Malfoy's head.  
  
"Ohhhhh," Melissa moaned. She floated up to Hermione and the others, smacking her forehead with the palm of her hand. "You guys, they've both got it."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"What d'you mean, they've both got it?" Parvati shouted.  
  
"They've both caught it," Melissa repeated, shrugging. She flew back down to the fighting boys. Oliver had just landed.  
  
"Okay, you guys, what's going on?"  
  
"What on earth do you think is going on, Oliver?" Harry asked through gritted teeth as he ducked a punch Malfoy had thrown.  
  
"Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, stop!" Oliver demanded, breaking the two boys apart and grabbing the Snitch from them. "I hereby declare this a faulty catch as both the Gryffindor Seeker and the Slytherin Seeker have somehow caught hold of the Snitch."  
  
A collective groan rose in a wave as Ginny, still stunned, announced this new spin on the game.  
  
"Oliver, that's not going to work," Melissa told him, disembarking.  
  
"Mel, I don't know what else to make of this catch," Oliver explained to her. "I've never seen anything like this. It's never happened before in all my years at Hogwarts."  
  
"Well, then why did both of you have to catch it?" Melissa asked furiously. "I mean, it's only common sense to—"  
  
CRASH!!!!!  
  
Screams were heard throughout the stadium as an enormous roar of thunder exploded directly above them. The next second, the sky opened up and a heavy downpour fell upon them.  
  
"Wonderful," Melissa muttered, soaked to the skin in seconds. "Can we get the game underway again? Please? So we can get out of the freaking rain?"  
  
"Okay, time in!" Oliver shouted, blowing his whistle. A neon yellow-white bolt of lightning struck a tree just beyond the Ravenclaw spectator section, eliciting screams from the Ravenclaws. "Okay, time out!" he yelled, giving two short blasts on his whistle. "Be right back, you guys," he called, jumping on his broom and flying through the driving rain to the teachers' stands.  
  
"Oh, this is aggravating," Kara groaned as she, Dean, Seamus, Ron, and Lavender landed around Harry and Melissa. The Slytherin team landed around Malfoy and, staring murderously at the Gryffindors, backed away from the other team a bit to regroup.  
  
"So, Captain, what now?" Seamus asked with a mocking salute.  
  
"Shut up, I don't know," Harry snapped, massaging his temples. Something inside of Melissa snapped too; she whipped out her wand and pointed it at her twin.  
  
"Avada Kedavra!" she shouted sharply. A huge burst of neon green light burst out the end of her wand and flew at Harry. His eyes wide and scared, Harry dove out of the way seconds before the jet of light would have hit the place where he was standing. The rest of the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams jumped out of the way, as well. They were all staring at the pretty Gryffindor girl in fright as her skin tightened around her cheekbones and her eyes seemed to sink into their sockets, though still gleaming with a strange brightness. She smiled thinly through strands of limp hair as her robes grew ratty and moldy-looking.  
  
"Mel?" Harry whispered worriedly. Melissa's face grew solemn for a moment before a cloud of smoke went up about her. When it settled, where Melissa had been, now stood a werewolf. The wolf—Melissa, everyone presumed—let out a terrifying snarl before changing back into the redhead Gryffindor. She shot a couple of hexes at players around her, watching Harry all the while.  
  
Melissa stood glaring at the thirteen people on the ground before her. She Summoned her broomstick, jumped on, and kicked off. When she was about fifty feet up in the air, she halted and turned to look scornfully down on the hundreds (A/N: thousands? Anybody know?) of students below her. She once again focused her wand on the huddle of Quidditch players down on the field and shouted a spell, casting a waterproof fire to encircle the players. There were screams of terror from all around the pitch, which caused Melissa to smile grimly with satisfaction. She turned her back on the horror and chaos beneath her and zoomed off into the darkness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Down on the field, Harry stared at his sister flying off among the shouts of "Accio!" as his fellow teammates and his rivals Summoned their broomsticks to get out of the raging inferno.  
  
"Melissa?" he whispered again before Ron showed up with Harry's broom, yelling for him to jump on.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next day, after Dumbledore and the teachers managed to put out the magical, waterproof fire, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sauntered down to the field.  
  
"I still don't understand why she should would try to—to…kill you, Harry," Hermione mused.  
  
"I don't get it either," Ron added. Harry, however, said nothing, only stared in shock at the field.  
  
"Ron, Hermione…" he faltered off, holding out his arm to halt the other two Gryffindors.  
  
"What's wrong, Harry?" Ron asked, glancing at his friend.  
  
"Look," was all Harry could utter. Hermione and Ron glanced at each other before looking out over the field. What they saw made them gasp in horror.  
  
Directly in the center of the field, where there should have been regular scorch marks from Melissa's fire, was a menacing, black mark: the Dark Mark.  
  
"Well, this isn't good," Ron murmured.  
  
"Definitely not," Hermione agreed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hundreds of miles away, a redheaded teen landed in front of a tall, black- cloaked man and immediately fell to one knee, head bowed.  
  
"Master, it is I, your loyal servant," the teen muttered mechanically. The man smiled thinly.  
  
"Good," the man greeted. "Welcome to the forces of Dark, Ms. Potter."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked through the next few days in a numbed daze. They just could believe Melissa was really an instrument of the evil Voldemort.  
  
"She couldn't be," Harry objected loudly one day during a particularly quiet Transfiguration class, as though he and the other two were continuing a casual conversation. Professor McGonagall had kept him after class to tell him off on how he mustn't disrupt classes even though his sister's turned evil. Hermione lectured him later on in the common room on that, also.  
  
"Harry, you can't get hung up on it," she said sternly. "McGonagall's right, you know. You still have to focus. It's not your fault Melissa's gone to the Dark side, on top of pulling a Thriller."  
  
"Wait. A what?!" Ron exclaimed, looking positively puzzled.  
  
"A Thriller," Hermione explained, laughing.  
  
"Thriller's a song by a Muggle performer, Michael Jackson," Harry told him. "In the beginning of the music video, he turns into a werewolf, then, later on, he dances as one of the undead."  
  
"Vampire?" Ron asked quizzically.  
  
"Zombie," Hermione corrected. "I'll show it to you sometime."  
  
"Sure. Why not?"  
  
A/N: Hey, everyone!!!!! Sorry it took so long to get the chapter up. As I said before, I had major writer's block. Anyway, on to the good stuff! How did you guys like the twist on the story? I felt it was getting kind of boring. Tell me what you think!!!! Okay, before I go, shout-outs!!!!!! Gotta have 'em, right? 'Kay, I'm talking to everyone that's reviewed from the beginning because…well, I never did that and I've been meaning to. So there.  
  
To starheart, bubblegum*girl, SarahPotter1, Authoress, liza, Articuno, ann, KK, Aly, Extremely Kewl Person, Video Game God 1134, Kathryn, Saphire, Lindsz, and The annoying coffee drinker: OMG, I love you guys so much!!!! I haven't gotten one thing from you guys (excluding my friends, the ones that seem to know me. lol) except ideas and inspirations!!!!!!! Love you guys soooooooo much!!!!  
  
To BumbleB: Thanks! Good idea. …BABE!!!!!!!!! Hahaha, lol, never gonna forget that. Hmmm, never going to give it up, either. *big grin* Hey, review my Lily story, too. I've only gotten, like, two in about a week and it's kind of, well, disappointing. Tell Julia to, also, k?  
  
To ROXY ANGEL: Thanks soooo much for your suggestions. Here's a hint: some of your suggestions are going to be used in an upcoming chapter. Keep an eye out! There'll be little note acknowledging you!  
  
To Pikachu13: In an interview, JKR said that James Potter actually was a Chaser, and not a Seeker, contrary to what was showed in the Harry Potter film. Not trying to be snotty or anything. Just telling what I heard.  
  
To Angel: Enough conflict?  
  
Remember, love you guys lots!!!! Keep reviewing and I'll love you even more!!!!!! Talk to me through email and IM; I get bored when none of my friends are on. It's DanceLuvr723!!!!! Can anyone guess what the "723" stands for????? And a note to my friends: Not a word!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh! Before I forget. P.S. Does anyone know how to put, like, underlines and italics and stuff????? Cause it never works for me. Help! 


	16. I dunno…

A/N: To my reviewers: I love you!!!!!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I forgot to put a disclaimer on my other chapters, so here it is! I own only Melissa, Shelbie, Caysie, and anyone you don't recognize. This sounds familiar. Did I do this in a previous chapter and can't remember? Someone help me, please.  
  
Chapter 15: Harry's POV  
  
~*~Harry's POV~*~  
  
I listened to my two best friends' conversation with amusement, the whole while worrying incessantly about Melissa.  
  
"Hermione, do the beetle wings have to be crushed or whole in a Forgetfulness Potion?"  
  
*Impatient groan*  
  
"Crushed, Ron, how many times do I have to tell you?"  
  
"Sor—ry." Silence. Then…  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
"What, Ron?"  
  
"How many beetle wings do you need to add?"  
  
*Another impatient groan*  
  
"Twelve pairs, Ron."  
  
"Thank you, Hermione." Silence.  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
"Ron, don't you have your textbook?"  
  
"It fell into my cauldron last Potions class."  
  
"What?! How did that happen?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"I'm not so sure about you sometimes, Ron."  
  
I was just about to cut in and offer Ron my textbook when the portrait swung open.  
  
"Hey, you guys, what's up?" Melissa greeted cheerfully as she walked calmly into the Gryffindor common room. She didn't seem to notice the wary way we were observing at her.  
  
"Hey, Mel, how you feeling?" Ron asked weakly.  
  
"I'm fine," Melissa replied, laughing at her friend. "Are you feeling okay?"  
  
"Um, yeah, we are. We're fine," Hermione replied quickly, giving me a Look. "Harry's just been a little stressed lately. We all have. We've been worried about you. You were gone for a couple of days and didn't tell anyone where you were."  
  
"Oh, that, sorry. I just—I really needed to get away for a couple of days," the redheaded Gryffindor girl replied almost shamefully, her cheeks tingeing pink.  
  
"That's okay," I assured her, covering over my astonishment. "We just wished you'd have sent an owl or something."  
  
"Sorry," Melissa apologized again meekly. She grinned and headed up the stairs to the dorms. I turned to Hermione and Ron.  
  
"Okay, so, she doesn't seem all that evil now," I said pointedly.  
  
"Maybe she doesn't realize that she—um, uh…" Hermione started to offer before faltering off.  
  
"That she tried to kill me?" I finished for her, crossing my arms  
  
"Heh, heh, heh…um, yeah," Hermione replied, giggling nervously.  
  
"Maybe," I mused, returning to my seat by one of the windows.  
  
"Harry, maybe Hermione's right," Ron insisted. "What if someone put a curse on her?" My head snapped up as Ron said these words.  
  
"A curse?" I asked alarmingly, my eyes widening. Without another word, I jumped up and ran to the portrait, knocking over two first years in the process.  
  
"Harry!" I heard Hermione call. "Harry, where are you going?"  
  
"Come on!" Ron yelled, already on his feet and heading after me.  
  
"Harry! Slow down!" Hermione cried ten minutes later as we raced still down to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Hermione, she's still under the curse!" I shouted back, slowing down as we approached Dumbledore's gargoyle guardian.  
  
"What? What curse?" she asked confusedly, panting as she clutched her sides, gasping for air.  
  
"OH!" Ron realized what I was talking about with a sharp intake of breath. He turned to Hermione. "He's talking about the Leggythargo Exitmass…curse- ey…thing."  
  
"Uh, yeah, sort of. Lethargus Excessus," I corrected him. Shaking my head, I turned to the gargoyle and said, "Ice Mice." The gargoyle did nothing. "Awwww, shiiiiiit!" I exploded, pulling a Ron and fiercely kicking the gargoyles, earning myself a throbbing foot.  
  
"That was good," Hermione commented lightly. I glared at her in response.  
  
"Come on, just open—oh. Hello, Professor," I greeted in surprise. Just as I was yelling at the gargoyle guardian, the wall behind had slid open and Dumbledore had stepped out from behind.  
  
"Hello, Harry, Hermione, Ron. May I help you?" the kindly headmaster asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah. Um, you see, the thing is, Professor, we think Melissa may still be under the Lethargus Excessus curse," Harry hurriedly explained. Dumbledore's face sobered.  
  
"Yes, I expected as much when I spotted the mark left by her curious blaze that day on the Quidditch field," he told them. He began walking down the hallway. "Well, come along. We had better help her."  
  
Ron, Hermione, and I exchanged confused, yet worried, looks before hurrying after the headmaster.  
  
"Professor, d'you…d'you think she's going to be okay?" Hermione asked breathlessly as we jogged to keep up with Dumbledore. He sure moves fast for an old guy, I thought fleetingly as we tried to match Dumbledore's long strides. The elderly headmaster glanced at us gravely before turning away without answering and quickening his pace. I stopped dead in my tracks, my heart dropping down to my feet.  
  
"Professor, she is going to be all right, isn't she?" I whispered, an alarmed tone creeping into my voice. I could see Dumbledore slowly halt and sigh deeply before turning to face me.  
  
"I sincerely hope so, Harry," Dumbledore told him softly. "Come."  
  
"Come on, Harry," Hermione whispered urgently, tugging on my arm. I numbly nodded and ran after her and Ron.  
  
~*~*~Ten minutes later~*~*~  
  
"Shrentle skin."  
  
I followed Professor Dumbledore, Ron, and Hermione into Gryffindor Tower, still walking about in a daze. The cacophony (A/N: I've been waiting awhile for a chance to use that word!) in the common room died down immediately when people saw Dumbledore.  
  
"Gryffindors, can you tell me where Ms. Potter might be located?" he asked in his deep, distinctive voice. All fingers silently pointed to the girls' dormitory staircase. "Thank you." He started heading up to the staircase, paused, and, his eyes twinkling, turned back around.  
  
"Mr. Finnigan and Mr. Thomas, I would advise you not to give that innocent third-year one of the Weasley twins' Ton-Tongue Toffees, as I see you were about to do when I stepped in," Dumbledore called. Dean's mouth fell open and Seamus dropped the toffee they had been in the process of giving Dennis Creevey. "I was warned about those," Dumbledore added. Smiling, he took out his wand and whispered a spell before sweeping up the stairs. Grinning at each other, Hermione started up the stairs after the headmaster. Ron and I glanced at each other before gingerly stepping onto the first step. After we realized that Dumbledore had removed the spell that kept boys from heading up the girls' dorms' staircase, we took the stairs two at a time after him. We caught up to Dumbledore and Hermione as they were entering Melissa's room.  
  
"Melissa, my dear, may we talk?"  
  
Melissa looked surprised at seeing the headmaster of the school at her door. Nevertheless, she shrugged, nodded, and closed the Muggle magazine she was reading. The three of us nervously followed Dumbledore in and stood huddled near the door.  
  
"Oh, hey, Harry, Ron, Hermione," Melissa greeted, waving hello. Ron and Hermione smiled slightly and I managed a tiny wave. "What is up with you guys?" she asked, laughing at our strange manner.  
  
"That's why we're here, Melissa," Dumbledore interrupted, drawing her attention back to him. "I'd appreciate it greatly if you'd be so kind as to follow me back to my office."  
  
"Uh, uh, y-yeah, sure," Melissa stuttered in reply. She stood up and walked out the door after Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, and I following them.  
  
~*~*~Fifteen minutes later~*~*~  
  
"Melissa, we're worried about you," Dumbledore began, sitting down at his desk.  
  
"Why?" Melissa asked in reply.  
  
"Well, for starters, you nearly ki—" Ron burst out before both Hermione and I clapped our hands over his mouth. All that was heard then were muffled curses.  
  
"Shut up, Ron," Hermione whispered before pressing a kiss to his cheek. He visibly calmed down and, when we cautiously removed our hands, he didn't seem angry for cutting his statement short.  
  
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger, perhaps this would be more effective if you waited outside," Dumbledore told us pointedly. I could feel my face turning red and saw Ron and Hermione were doing the same thing.  
  
"Sorry, Professor," I mumbled as the three of us headed out the door.  
  
We glanced at each other when Dumbledore's office door was firmly closed and involuntarily burst into uncontrollable giggles. We were gasping for breath by the time we had descended to the guardian, where we, to the worst of our luck, ran directly into Professor Trelawney. She took one look at me and her eyes misted up with tears. She excused herself and hurried on down the hall. I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at her retreating back, which made Ron, Hermione, and I dissolve into laughter again. We managed to make our way back to the common room somehow. Seamus and Dean had disregarded Dumbledore's advice and persuaded Dennis to eat the toffee and now, he was lying on the floor, gagging. Seamus, Dean, and the rest of the Gryffindors were rolling on the floor, shrieking with laughter.  
  
"You guys are really bad," I told them, laughing. Ron, Hermione, and I hurried upstairs to grab our History of Magic textbook, along with some parchment, quills, and ink. We had a two-foot essay due in three days. None of us had written a single word yet. I tried to occupy myself with the urgency of the essay, but my mind kept drifting back to Melissa. She and Dumbledore had been talking for quite a long time.  
  
I really hope she'll be okay, I thought anxiously. I don't think I could bear it if I lost her. I'd be right back at square one with no one but Ron and Hermione. Sirius is gone now. Damn Voldemort. The whole world's messed up because of him.  
  
A/N: Okay sorry!!! I know the end of this chapter's REALLY lame, but I really needed to get it up. I had terrible writer's block. By the way, to Lindsey: Happy birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Totally love you!!!!!! 


	17. I still dunno…

Chapter 16: I dunno…feeling too stupid to think up a proper title…  
  
The next few weeks flew by with amazing speed. Soon, it was only a week before Christmas break. Melissa still hadn't realized she nearly killed thirteen people.  
  
That day at lunch, hundreds of owls flew in the windows and soared over the Great Hall. One made its way over to the Gryffindor section. It circled several times before dropping the parcel it carried at Hermione. It screeched once then flew off into the noon sunlight with the rest. She caught it easily and tore back the paper. Out came a special edition copy of the Daily Prophet.  
  
"Weird," she muttered, scanning the front page. Ron slid over and glanced at the front page.  
  
"They haven't put out a special edition like this since You-Know-Who was somewhat defeated," he added.  
  
"Gee, thanks, Ron," Harry remarked wryly.  
  
"Sure, Harry," Ron replied demurely, never removing his eyes from his girlfriend's newspaper. He didn't seem to hear Harry's comment.  
  
"Uh, no," Hermione murmured, covering her mouth with her hand while her eyes scanned still over the article.  
  
"What?" Harry and Melissa asked together.  
  
"Pettigrew es—" was all she managed to get out before the doors to the Great Hall flew open with a crunch and a bang. Everyone in the Hall swiveled around in his or her seat to see who wanted to make such a big (and loud) entrance. Dumbledore stood up in order to see over the heads of all the students.  
  
Voldemort was standing in the open doorway flanked by a smirking Lucius Malfoy on the left and a smug Peter Pettigrew on the right.  
  
"Albus Dumbledore, my good man, how are your students? Still alive, I see?" he noted jovially, strangely for him. "Hmmm. That one's not anymore," he said, casting Avada Kedavra on a nearby Hufflepuff third year. "Neither is that one," he added, killing a Ravenclaw seventh year.  
  
"Tom Riddle—" Dumbledore began.  
  
"Shut up, old man!" Voldemort snapped. He then walked over to Harry's area in the Gryffindor table. "I don't like you. Or you, or you, or you. Goodbye." As he said this, he cast the dreaded curse on the four Gryffindor friends. Then all was in ruin.  
  
A/N: How'd you guys like it? Any suggestions, opinions, feelings? Wait. I suppose that 'opinions' and feelings are the same thing, aren't they? Oh, well. By the way, my friend Sam is standing next to me as I write this. She says 'hi'. FYI, think of her when you read the next chapter or anytime you read 'monkeys'. Okay, I need everyone reading to do me a HUGE favor. Scroll down…………NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
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JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Come on, you guys!!!!!!!!!!! You didn't actually think I would kill off Harry, Melissa, Ron, and Hermione, did you??????? If you did, I'm incredibly hurt and disappointed. *Sighs* O, ye of little faith. Sorry about this chapter, by the way. I was feeling very goofy and sort of like a nut when I wrote this. *Laughing* Anyway, the REAL chapter is coming soon. In a couple of days, if I finish my high school applications. And if I don't severely sprain my ankle again. Yep, that hurt. Review, I'll love you! Hey, that rhymes! Wow. I have GOT to get a life. Help me, please!!!!!!!! 


	18. Congo line we are havin' a partay!

Chapter 18: *Congo line* we are havin' a par-tay!  
  
"Okay, shall we begin the lessons?"  
  
Professor Lupin rubbed his hands together excitedly, grinning at the four slightly apprehensive teens standing before him.  
  
"Oh, come on, you guys!" he cried exasperatedly when no one answered, throwing up his hands. Hermione cleared her throat loudly, distaste and disapproval laced blatantly in the action. Remus rolled his eyes. "Sorry. And *girls*. Listen, it's not that bad. Ask Shelbie. She's an Animagi. She'll tell you it wasn't hard. Tell 'em, Shelbie."  
  
"He's…wrong. It was *damn* hard," Shelbie added, glancing furtively at her partner-in-crime, who was currently giving her 'The Look of I'm-Gonna-Kill- You-When-They're-Not-Here' look.  
  
"Yeah, you're a *real* big help," Remus remarked sarcastically. Shelbie grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Oh, fantastic!" Melissa exclaimed. "That's it. I'm outta here." Having said this, she turned and began hurrying towards the door. She reached the door and was heading out when a pair of arms grabbed her around the waist and carried her back into the room.  
  
"Hey! Put me down!" she shrieked. "Remus, stop it! This isn't funny! You guys, make him put me down!" she pleaded to Ron, Hermione, and Harry. "Stop laughing; this isn't funny!" she added. The original Gryffindor trio was paralyzed with laughter; tears of mirth streaming down their faces, all three holding their stomachs from laughing so hard.  
  
"Thanks, everybody," Melissa huffed, resting her chin in her hands and her elbows on Remus's back.  
  
"Sorry, Mel," Hermione choked out.  
  
"But it really is funny," Ron added. At the murderous look on Melissa's face, all three fifth-years exploded with laughter. After the peals of laughter died down and Melissa was standing up straight, Shelbie turned to face them.  
  
"Okay, so, first, you need to close your ears and eyes and open your mind," she instructed. "You're going to need to empty your mind of everything."  
  
"Sounds like Occlumency last year," Harry mumbled.  
  
"Shut up, Harry," Hermione told him absentmindedly.  
  
"Thank you, Hermione," Shelbie said graciously. Hermione tipped her head in a 'you're welcome' gesture. "Now, picture in your mind the animal which you are to become…"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Later that day...the four Gryffindor sixth year girls began to get ready for the party that would be going on while the first years were at a flying lesson and the second and third years were at a dueling lesson.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Okay, so we'll see if Harry can play the music," Parvati ventured, scrutinizing her face as to what lip-gloss to apply.  
  
"Done," Lavender replied absentmindedly as she adjusted the revealing three- quarter-sleeve top she was wearing. The other three Gryffindor girls turned and gaped at Lavender. "What?"  
  
"You...what?" Hermione whispered, wide-eyed.  
  
"I asked him if he would DJ for a party in the next month or two," Lavender explained. "Don't worry. Very vague. He has *no idea*."  
  
Parvati, Hermione, and Melissa breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to their respective mirrors. Melissa gazed into her mirror and touched up her mascara. She was sporting a deep red and black miniskirt with a strapless deep red shirt that cut into show her navel. Her masses of red curls were caught up stylishly, dotted here and there with rhinestones. She bent down to fix the strappy black backless sandals she was wearing and picked up the light bronze lip color that had rolled onto the floor. Hermione was wearing a stylish Superman tank top that left her shoulders bare and encircled her neck with beaded cuffs around her upper arms and a chocker around her neck. She was wearing a short, black miniskirt with a high slit up the side and high, strappy black heels to complete the outfit. She has to be forced into this outfit by Melissa, Parvati, and Lavender, convincing her by saying Ron was going to drool himself dry over her. Lavender was wearing a low-cut black and blue-spotted three-quarter sleeve top with tight-fitting black pants to match. On her feet were cute dark blue open-toed heels. She had styled her hair in a messy bun with locks falling around her face. Parvati had on a black, side-slit miniskirt with flames dancing across the bottom, accompanied by a matching black-with-fire strapless top. She was also wearing high, black lace-up heels on her feet. They turned and walked to the center of the room and each made sure the others looked fabulous. They all grinned gave a thumbs-up, and headed downstairs.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
They reached the abandoned common room (the rest of the Gryffindors were at a Slytherin/Ravenclaw Quidditch game.) and began to examine their work.  
  
"Anything we need to fix?" Melissa asked, looking around.  
  
"Yes," Parvati stated. She looked at Hermione, who grinned and waved her wand. The lights dimmed and fluorescent lights skimmed over the floor.  
  
"Great. Now—" Lavender began.  
  
"The school is coming back up!" Parvati exclaimed from her position by the window. Melissa, Lavender, and Hermione rushed over to the window and peered out, their breath misting on the glass. They could see crowds of students slowly making their way through the fluffy snow to the castle. Melissa and Hermione drew back a bit.  
  
"Mel, are you going to ask him to dance?" Hermione whispered.  
  
"I think so, yeah," Melissa replied softly.  
  
"Excellent. Are you going to sing, as well? 'Coz you've got an incredible voice," Hermione reminded. Melissa had a voice to rival that of Christina Aguilara and Mariah Carey.  
  
"I don't know," Melissa answered uncertainly.  
  
"You've *got* to!" Hermione persisted.  
  
"Okay, okay, I'll sing!" Melissa agreed with a laugh as Hermione cornered her. Suddenly, the portrait guardian was thrown open and, as the girls whirled around, they could hear the Fat Lady screeching at whoever was entering in such a hurry.  
  
"—blow me off my hinges! Is that what you're—excuse me! Don't you close that door! Hey—!" A slam echoed throughout the hallway to the common room and Harry appeared as he raced into the room, face flushed from running and the cold. He stopped short and gaped at the four girls in front of him, his mouth hanging open.  
  
"By the way, I might have asked Harry to come immediately after the game," Lavender mused meekly turning away to fix a hanging thing.  
  
"Thanks for telling us now," Hermione replied wryly. She glanced at Harry. "Hello? Are you okay?"  
  
"Uh-huh. You girls look...fantastic," Harry complemented, the gift of speech flowing back to him.  
  
"Thank you." In the next five minutes, Melissa and Hermione quickly showed Harry where the CDs were and how to work the CD player while Parvati and Lavender made some finishing touches on the room. The two girls had hooked up a couple of loudspeakers to the player to amplify the sound. They all finished just in time as the portrait swung open again and the excited voices of the Gryffindor upper years floated into the room. Ron, Neville, Ginny, Dean, Seamus, Fred, and George (the twins keep returning for all the Quidditch games; they had been invited back to the common room to hang out for awhile) were at the head of the crowd of Gryffindors. The stopped dead, staring, when they caught sight of the four girls standing and grinning smugly and Harry grinning and leaning on the DJ table. People behind were bumping into them, unable to see what the hold up was.  
  
"What the...?" Ron began to ask.  
  
"Welcome to the party," Melissa greeted, flashing a grin at the students. That was Harry's cue to start up the music. Sure enough, SClub Party blared through the loudspeakers. The four girls began dancing into the crowd and pulling people into the common room. Hermione grabbed Ron, who grinned and twirled her around while Parvati enticed Seamus to come dance with her. Lavender spun around and grabbed a seventh year onto the dance floor as everyone else dropped their cloaks and robes and hurried in. Melissa took a deep breath and weaved her way over to her choice for a dance partner.  
  
"Hey," she greeted. "Want to dance?"  
  
"The boy she was speaking to turned around and when he saw who it was, his eyes lit up.  
  
"Sure! I'd love to," Fred Weasley replied, grinning. He offered his arm, which she accepted, and guided her onto the floor. They began dancing to the vocals of SClub7*.  
  
"SClub..."  
  
"Ain't no party like an SClub party..."  
  
"Gonna show you how..."  
  
"Everybody get down tonight..."  
  
A few minutes later, SClub7 ended and Avril Lavigne# was turned on.  
  
"He was a boi; she was a girl; can I make it any more obvious? He was a punk; she did ballet; what more can I say? He wanted her; she'd never tell, but secretly, she wanted him, as well. But all of her friends stuck up their nose; they had a problem with his baggy clothes.  
  
"He was a sk8r boi; she said 'see ya, later, boi'. He wasn't good enough for her. She had a pretty face, but her head was up in space. She needed to come back down to earth..."  
  
Melissa and her friends were having the time of their lives. She couldn't believe they hadn't thought of it before; then again, she'd only figured out how to work the Muggle CD player a week ago. Sk8er Boi ended then and a slower song came on.  
  
"You're a song, written by the hands of God. Don't get me wrong, cause this might sound to you a bit odd...~ "  
  
Melissa hesitated, wondering she should walk away or continue dancing with her crush of several months. She didn't need to wonder about it though, because Fred held out his arms in an invitation. Melissa's heart fluttered as she and Fred settled into a comfortable rhythm.  
  
"Underneath your clothes, there's an endless story. There's the man I chose; there's my territory…"  
  
Melissa relaxed as Fred guided her in the dance. She glanced over at Hermione and Ron and saw them grinning like mad at her. Feeling a telltale blush creep up her cheeks, she turned back and buried her face in Fred's shoulder.  
  
"I didn't see you at the match today," Fred remarked.  
  
"Hermione, Parvati, Lavender, and I were setting up for the party," Melissa mumbled, willing her blush away so she could look up.  
  
"Which, by the way, you did a fantastic job on," Fred complemented grinning. He pulled away and studied Melissa's outfit with an approving eye. He smiled slightly and pulled her close again. "You look…amazing," he murmured. Melissa felt her cheeks flush again as she heard the comment. They were silent for the rest of the dance, each reveling in the presence of the other. 'Underneath Your Clothes' ended, and Harry got on the microphone Hermione had transfigured out of a quill for him.  
  
"Can Melissa come up here and sing something for us?" he asked, eyes glinting like mischievous emeralds. Melissa was dumbstruck. Finally, she found her voice.  
  
"Uh...n—no, I, uh, I don't think..." she faltered off as everyone was chanting her name. She turned to Fred, who gave her an encouraging grin. She smiled and nodded before turning and walking over to Harry.  
  
"I'm sooooooooo gonna hurt you after this party is over," Melissa hissed as she snatched the mic out of Harry's hand, the smile still plastered on her face.  
  
"I know," Harry replied, grinning. Melissa sighed.  
  
"Wait, what am I singing?" she asked, turning back to her brother. Harry grinned and pressed a couple of buttons on the player while tapping it and whispering a few choice words. 'Get The Party Started'^ began blaring through the speakers, except the words were missing. Harry had charmed the song so only the music could be heard, but not the lyrics. Melissa grinned back and turned on the mic, all tension forgotten.  
  
" 'I'm comin' up so your better get this party started'," Melissa sang, recalling the words from her memory. " 'I'm comin' up so you better get this party started! Get this party started on a Saturday night. Everybody's waitin' for me to arrive. Sendin' out the message to all of my friends, we'll be lookin' flashy in my Mercedes Benz.' "  
  
Melissa finished the first verse of the song and made her way down into the crowd.  
  
" 'I got lots of style; check my gold diamond rings..." she sang. She went through the song, dancing with various people in the room. When it ended, she leapt up to the DJ table where Harry was and gave a deep bow, grinning at the wild cheers she was receiving. She handed the mic back to Harry and skipped down into the crowd.  
  
"Hold it, Mel!" Harry shouted. "Now, you gotta sing a slower for everyone to dance to." Melissa gaped at him. "Come on! We'll even get a stool for you to sit on. Dean, grab the stool behind you." Dean scrambled around and picked up the stool, lifting it over his head. He walked onto the little platform where Harry was and placed the stool down. Melissa was forced to the table once more. She was shoved into the chair and the mic pressed into her hand. She looked around, a startled look in her green eyes.  
  
" 'A Moment Like This'," Hermione whispered, wriggling to the front. Melissa made a sarcastic face and whipped around as the soft chords came floating through the speakers.  
  
"Come on, Mel," Harry urged. Melissa shot him a Look before turning back to the expectant students assembled before her.  
  
" 'What if I told you it was all meant to be? Would you believe me? Would you agree? It's almost that feeling that we may be fools. So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy when I tell you love has come here and now'," Melissa sang, starting out soft and unsure, but slowly gaining strength and confidence. Everyone in front of her was gravitating to each other. Everyone, that is, except Fred. He was standing there, staring at her with something more than just a teeny crush. Melissa shook it off as she continued her song. " 'A moment like this. Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this. Some people search forever for that one special kiss. Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me. Some people wait a lifetime for a moment...like this…' "  
  
A few minutes later, she finished her song to tumultuous applause. She grinned modestly and hopped back down into the crowd. Throughout the rest of the party, she sang various songs and to each received wild cheers and hoots. She danced the night away to both slow and fast songs with Fred, George, Ron, Harry, Seamus, Dean, Neville, and others. She honestly didn't care about anything else at the moment.  
  
*SClub Party~ by SClub7  
  
#Sk8er Boi~ by Avril Lavigne (one of my fav artists)  
  
~Underneath Your Clothes~ by Shakira (shut up about the freakin' lyrics, Aeshna! lol)  
  
^Get the Party Started~ by Pink  
  
A Moment Like This~ by Kelly Clarkson  
  
A/N: Okay, this chapter came out okay. I can't believe I've only gotten one review for chapter 18 (thanks, !). That's so disappointing. OMG, did anyone see TRL on MTV on Oct. 22? Daniel Radcliffe was on!!! For those that don't know, I have a MAJOR thing for him. Anyway, gotta go. Big surprise next chappie! And in the spring: something so insane and completely unexpected (and part of it totally brilliant, I might add) I'm still shocked I though of it! Buh-bye, lovelies! 


	19. ChristmastimePart 1

Chapter 19: (It's my birthday today!!! Sorry, that had nothing to do with the chapter, but…it's my birthday today!) Christmastime (It wouldn't let me fit the whole title onto the little thing up in the corner. Damn computer…)  
  
A/N: This is so depressing. I received only one review for chapter 17 and didn't get a single one for chapter 18. I'm going to go listen to happy music. I'm sad now. Oh, by the way, I decided to leave the big surprise for the next chapter because this chapter is happy and the event…well…isn't. Okay, read on! This chapter is dedicated to Richard Harris, who died on October 25, 2002, of Hodgkin's disease. May he forever rest in peace.  
  
Another A/N: In this chapter, four houses are going to be mentioned (the four houses at Sullivan's). Here are they and their counterparts:  
  
McKlaren House=Gryffindor House  
  
Evans House=Ravenclaw House  
  
Parker House=Hufflepuff House  
  
Connoren House=Slytherin House  
  
Enjoy!  
  
Melissa was sitting alone in the Quidditch stands reading a letter from her friends at Sullivan's Academy of the Wizarding Arts.  
  
Hey Mel!  
  
I got nearly everyone you knew (and liked) to sign this letter to you. Everyone misses you so much! The McKlaren Quidditch team sucks without you here to score all the goals. Okay, there are tons of people shouting at me to hurry up, so I'll write you a separate letter later. Happy Christmas, Mel!  
  
Lylas,  
  
Caysie  
  
Hiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!  
  
Mel, OMG, I still can't believe your not here with us! I miss you sooooooooo much! Sarah wants me to say 'hi' for her. She can't write at the moment. A Bludger broke her arm and Madam Smith refused to heal it, saying it was her 'own fault' that her arm's broken. You know how she can't stand 'those dangerous Bludgers; pelting around trying to kill all those poor children', as she likes to say. Anyway, let me quickly update you on everything that's happened here in the past couple of months, although I'm sure Cays has kept you posted.  
  
Well, I dumped Brendan and now I'm dating that seventh-year, Daniel Corrignan. He's sooo sweet! And, um, oh! This next part of news you'll be happy to hear. Marc Stridedge and Jake Lenton have been expelled because they kept harassing girls. No more, "Hey, there sexy! How 'bout you and me go up to the Top Tower for a little something-something?" in that idiotic tone they always were talking in. Thank God. Just the other day, they were trying to concoct a potion that would make girls' robes and such invisible. Perverts. 'Kay, gotta go. You've got to come visit us soon!  
  
Lots o' love,  
  
Emilie  
  
Mellie!!!!!  
  
I can't believe you're over there in big scary Europe! How're the guys? Just kidding. It's so boring over here without you to cause a ton of trouble. And Shelbie's gone as well. We've got a boring old bat called Professor Brookes. She's always referring to herself in the third person. You can't even imagine how confusing that is. Oh, we have a new Muggle Studies teach—not that you'd care; you didn't take Muggle Studies—and we have a new Arithmancy teach. Professor MacGregor decided to go get married and live in Australia. The new one's name is Professor Cara Moran. She's so cool. Get this. On the first day of lessons, she came in wearing a fluorescent blue miniskirt and a black tank top with a black silk robe. Everyone in the class just stared. Anyway, I better move and let Jeremy write a note. He's been yelling at me for the past minute or two. Love ya, hon! Come visit!  
  
Always,  
  
Ailyne  
  
Hey, Mel!  
  
You have no idea how boring it is without you here to sneak potions into the Connorens' drinks to make their hair turn different colors at every quarter hour. Ah, the good ol' days. Let me bring you up to date on pranks and such. Francie Stamon is now a prefect for Connoren House (we're still not sure how that happened. She barely made it through final exams last year, remember?) and she's trying to take over your position of Prank Queen. You gotta come visit and pull a prank so big, no one will ever think about trying to take your position again. Just the other day, in fact, she charmed all of the Evans prefects' goblets to go and tip their contents over their owners' heads, but instead she mispronounced a word or something like that, because they all (meaning the goblets) flew over and dumped their contents on Francie's head. I was hysterical for a week. I have to go; Caysie just hit me over the head with a pillow in a VERY MEAN way of saying, "Okay, you're done."  
  
Love you,  
  
Jeremy  
  
Melissa smiled when she read her friend's letter. Jeremy Zurchensky was Melissa's other best friend. They'd dated for a brief stint in the previous year, but had found it was like dating one's favorite sibling. They had stopped that relationship immediately and had settled for loving each other like a brother and sister would (A/N: Without all the fighting and such, in my opinion). She flipped the letter over and saw a note from Caysie.  
  
Hey, honey!  
  
Listen, Professor Feran* said that you'd be gladly welcome here if you wanted to come visit over Christmas or February break. YOU HAVE TO COME! WE ALL MISS YOU SOOOOO MUCH! Write back soon; everyone wants to see you again. See you soon (hopefully)!  
  
Love ya, girl!  
  
Cays  
  
PP.S. There's a little something attached. Hope you like it!  
  
Love you and miss you,  
  
McKlaren House  
  
*Head of McKlaren House  
  
Melissa brushed away a few stray tears as she finished the message and picked up the parcel the owl had dropped at her feet. She carefully pulled back the paper and spotted another note and a small box. She opened the note first and quickly scanned its contents.  
  
Dear Melissa,  
  
We wish you great luck and success in your journeys from here on out. Merry Christmas.  
  
Hugs and kisses,  
  
McKlaren House  
  
Melissa smiled in spite of herself and set the parchment down with the longer letter. She picked up the box and opened it. Inside, resting on a thick piece of soft, silk-like material was a silver bracelet. Melissa's breath hitched in her throat as she lifted it out of its container into the fading sunlight. It had an intricately designed band with a clasp on one side and a flat panel on the other. There was an inscription on it, which read:  
  
Love you and miss you forever to come  
  
There was the house crest next to the inscription, the following words being 'McKlaren House', and on either side of the words was a tiny blue topaz, Melissa's favorite gem. Melissa felt a groove on the other side and turned it over to see the names of her close friends written on the inside of the bracelet. She noticed Jeremy had signed one of the largest, second only to Caysie's large script. Emilie, Ailyne, Sarah Genero, Tracy Hadinel, Peter Carriel, Anthony Neward, Craig Fulham, Lena Kasen, and Heather Stefano, some of Melissa's other friends, had signed it as well. She even saw some of the near illegible signatures of her former professors. She slipped it on her wrist and adjusted the band, tears threatening to fall.  
  
"Oh, you guys..." Melissa breathed, a sigh of unhappiness and loneliness escaping her.  
  
"Lonely without the groupies, Potter?"  
  
The redhead turned around at the deep voice and saw Draco Malfoy leaning against a nearby door, Nimbus 2001 slung over his shoulder. Melissa sighed again, this time in exasperation, and gathered her letters, the box the bracelet came in, and her broom.  
  
"Not now, Malfoy, I'm not in the mood."  
  
"Good. Neither am I." He pushed himself off the doorframe and walked over to stand next to the Gryffindor. He glanced at her before gazing back out at the pitch before him. "Fancy a fly?"  
  
Melissa glared at him through narrow eyes.  
  
"How do I know you won't hex me or anything?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"Because you look lonely and homesick," he replied, shrugging. "I don't hopelessly torture homesick people."  
  
"Since when?" Melissa sneered. Malfoy didn't answer, but instead abruptly changed the subject.  
  
"I hoped I would find you out here," he ventured. Melissa looked at him oddly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because of something that's going to be happening in the spring. Snape told me," Malfoy added quickly when he saw the Gryffindor's skeptical look.  
  
"Really? So what did the Glorious Greaseball tell the pride and joy of Slytherin House?" Melissa asked.  
  
"That I should get to know you. Nothing very specific," Malfoy answered, shrugging again. He sat down next to her and focused his gaze on the wary redhead. "So...what is your favorite subject, least favorite subject, likes, dislikes...?"  
  
Melissa ticked off each category on her fingers as she answered.  
  
"Charms, Potions, Quidditch, you!" she finished brightly before standing up, mounting her broom, and kicking off. She soared through the grey sky, cold air biting at her face. A moment later, Malfoy zoomed in front of her, cutting her off.  
  
"Why do you hate me so much?" he asked softly. Melissa burst out laughing.  
  
"You're not serious?" she choked. When she saw the Slytherin's face, she knew he was. "Um, well, let's see. You were an insufferable git to me when I first came here and harassed my friends and housemates since they came here."  
  
Malfoy muttered something unintelligible.  
  
"What?"  
  
The blonde shook his head, a piece of his gelled-up hair falling out of its carefully plastered place.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
Melissa rolled her eyes and swerved around the Slytherin. Malfoy followed suit and maneuvered his broom in a different direction. After a moment, Melissa sighed in defeat and turned to talk to the blonde blur.  
  
"So? What's yours?" she called.  
  
He looked at her oddly.  
  
"What's your favorite subject, least favorite subject, likes, dislikes? Come on, give me something to work with here!" the Gryffindor girl exclaimed. Malfoy grinned in response and slowed his pace a teeny bit to match that of the redhead beside him.  
  
"Let's see. My favorite subject is Defense Against the Dark Arts," Malfoy replied, also ticking them off on his fingers. He had to stop to grab Melissa's arm as she looked as though she was going to fall off her broom at this. "Okay? And, um, my least favorite subject is Divination. My likes and hobbies are Quidditch, reading, writing, walking around school like I own the place, and Potions. My dislikes are Snape, homework, and you."  
  
"Good! So, we're even," Melissa cried, laughing.  
  
"Seems we are," Malfoy replied, laughing as well. They flew around the pitch talking for another hour or so. They both found, though they'd never admit it to the other, they enjoyed each other's company. On the way back to the castle, Melissa's face fell.  
  
"What's wrong, Potter?" Malfoy asked, his face masking concern.  
  
"I miss my friends in Ireland," she whispered, a solitary tear slipping down her face involuntarily. She quickly wiped it away, though not before Malfoy noticed it; the blonde Slytherin was the last person in the world she wanted to cry in front of. Malfoy nodded, but said nothing and turned away as thoughts flew through his mind. They walked the rest of the distance to the school in silence, both thinking about the same thing.  
  
A/N: Hey, so what'd you think? A surprise next chapter! BTW, I'm fourteen today! The fourth of November is my birthday! *starts singing* Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me-e! Happy birthday to me! Yay! 


	20. ChristmastimePart 2

Chapter 20: Christmastime—Part 2  
  
A/N: I've decided to leave the "big surprise" for either chapter 23 or 24. Haha, keepin' ya hangin'. … I'm such a loser. (Shut UP, Rita!) Anyway, the first part of this chapter was partially inspired by my friend Lauren. Thanks, girlfriend!!!!! *said in a total valley-girl, "Clueless" voice (no offense to the Beverly Hills people reading this!)*  
  
Melissa burst into the Gryffindor common room, face red from the cold, broom in hand. She glanced around the room and spotted Harry, Ron, Dean, and Seamus playing wizard's chess in a corner. Hermione was curled up in a nearby armchair, watching the games and reading the usually (A/N: Rita- really, really ridiculously!) thick book. Melissa grinned and headed over there.  
  
"Hey, you guys," she greeted, plopping down next to Dean.  
  
"Hey," Ron replied as he captured Harry's knight with his rook.  
  
"Oh, shut up!" Harry exclaimed crossly. Startled, Melissa glanced at him. He was scowling at his pieces in fury while they shouted obscenely at him.  
  
"Idiots," Hermione muttered, rolling her eyes. She noticed Melissa rubbing her hands together to try and create warmth. The brunette conjured up a steaming mug of hot chocolate, which she handed to her shivering friend. Melissa shot her a grateful look as she carefully sipped the steaming liquid.  
  
"So, Mel, where have you been all afternoon?" Hermione asked. "We were looking for you."  
  
Melissa took another sip as she deliberated what to say. Flying with Malfoy…talking with Malfoy…laughing with Malfoy… Maybe she should just leave Malfoy out.  
  
"Um…you know. Around," she replied vaguely. Hermione's eyes narrowed, but she didn't say anything. Melissa felt a funny twist in her stomach. Why was she lying to her best friends?  
  
/\What are you lying about? /\ A voice asked. Melissa's head snapped up.  
  
\/Harry? \/ She said tentatively.  
  
/\Duh, who else would it be? The Boogey wizard? /\ Harry responded incredulously.  
  
\/Shut up.\/ Melissa's ordered lamely. A moment later…  
  
/\Well? What are you lying about? /\  
  
\/Harry, please, just let it go. Leave it alone. \/ Melissa requested, shifting uncomfortably.  
  
"Melissa, why—"  
  
"Harry, just leave it alone!" Melissa exploded. She leapt up and slammed her cup down onto the scarlet carpet, staining it dark brown. She ran into people as she raced from the room, grabbing her broomstick along the way.  
  
Harry, Dean, Ron, Hermione, and Seamus sat there in stunned silence for several minutes.  
  
"What's got her panties in a twist?" Seamus wondered, breaking the silence.  
  
"SEAMUS!!!!!!!"  
  
……………………  
  
"What?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Once again, Melissa was headed towards the Quidditch pitch. After ten minutes of furious running, she slowed to a walk, breathing heavily. She turned into the stadium and walked up into the stands, only to meet the last person in the world she wanted to see.  
  
"Malfoy!"  
  
Draco Malfoy turned to her with a crooked sort of smile on his face.  
  
"Hello, again," he greeted softly.  
  
"What on earth are you doing here?" Melissa demanded once she got over her shock.  
  
"Dumbledore wanted me to come out here and make sure there wasn't any sixth- years," Malfoy replied, looking out over the pitch. "I walked back out here and was about half-way done my search when, lo and behold, I found…you."  
  
"Why did Dumbledore want you to come and look for any sixth-years?" Melissa asked suspiciously. Malfoy shrugged.  
  
"I don't know," he answered honestly. "All he said was that he, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape have an announcement to make. Let's go."  
  
Melissa watched him closely for a moment before relenting.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Once again, the two opposites were heading side-by-side up to the school.  
  
A/N: Yeah, okay, that chapter sucked. You guys have my official permission to tell me that on this chapter, and this chapter only. Email me at BGer_Girl731@yahoo.com or tell me in your review what you think and if you have any suggestions. Thanks!  
  
Katie 


	21. Dumbledore's Announcement

Chapter 21: Dumbledore's Announcement  
  
"I'm glad you could all get here so quickly," Dumbledore said, his deep voice resonating throughout the Great Hall. As soon as they had stepped into the Entrance Hall, Malfoy and Melissa had split off to their respective houses as the students hurried into the Hall. Melissa was now sitting on the end of the Ravenclaw table between Seamus and Hermione.  
  
"I have called you from your very busy lives to tell you about an event that will happen later in the year," Dumbledore announced. "In light of the tragic happenings of last year and the past several months, I—we've decided something needs to be done to bring the two rival houses closer together. That is why the sixth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins are going to be participating in a little…project that Professors McGonagall and Snape and I have thought up. For the month of March and the first two weeks in April, each sixth-year Gryffindor will be paired with a sixth-year Slytherin—"  
  
There was a roar of indignation at this new development. Dumbledore tried in vain to calm everyone down. After ten minutes of shrill, screaming noise, the headmaster gave up and resorted to magical means in order to quiet the students down. He let off several loud firecrackers and, after a collective gasp from the students, silence reclaimed the Hall.  
  
"Please allow me to continue," Dumbledore requested, killing a few dirty glares he was receiving with a Look©. He glanced over everyone sitting in front of him. "You will spend your free time with your partners; you will not necessarily have a partner of the same gender; you will be required to learn about your partner—what they like, dislike, their hobbies, what they like to do in their spare time, their friends, favorite subjects, least favorite subjects, et cetera. You will also eat meals with your partner."  
  
"Professor, when will we find out who our partners are?" Melissa called over the quiet, voicing the one question that everyone was dreading the answer. Dumbledore glanced at her and smiled.  
  
"Excellent question, Miss Potter, and thank you for reminding me," Dumbledore replied. "Your Heads of Houses and I will be meeting all this week in their free time and we will then choose a way to pick partners. Now, go. Savor the last day of Christmas vacation," he dismissed merrily, ignoring the murderous look the two houses gave each other.  
  
"This project is going to make me very nervous," Melissa said anxiously as they climbed the stairs.  
  
"I really hope I get paired with someone good!" Hermione cried while Harry frowned and nodded worriedly.  
  
"Wouldn't it be absolutely awful if one of us got paired with…Malfoy?!" Ron asked, wrinkling his nose.  
  
"Or Crabbe!" Seamus added. "He's such a dolt!"  
  
"Or Goyle!" someone else exclaimed.  
  
"Or Millicent Bulstrode!"  
  
"Pansy Parkinson!"  
  
This was met with groans and laughs from everyone. Ten minutes later, the Gryffindors, still gasping for breath, turned a corner and came face-to- face with the Gryffindor guardian portrait. They told her the password ("Treacle tart") and headed into the common room to tell their older and younger friends the news.  
  
A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Partners will be chosen in the next chapter or so. 


	22. And You're Paired With

Chapter 23: And You're Paired With.  
  
A/N: **MAJOR NOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!** If you haven't read this since I fixed everything on July 21, 2003, read the whole story again!!!!! I changed a TON of stuff, and there are major OotP spoilers so if you haven't read the 5th book (I don't know why you wouldn't have read it by mow! It's been a month!!), then don't read this fic until you do, or you'll be in for a few surprises!!!!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
~*~*~ A Week Later ~*~*~*  
  
"Hello, sixth-years," Dumbledore greeted pleasantly. As before, the Gryffindor and Slytherin sixth-years were sitting in the Great Hall. This time however, they were sitting in two tightly huddled groups, giving each other death glares. "Now, as I told you last week, the Gryffindors and Slytherins will be paired up with someone from the opposite house. Professors McGonagall and Snape and I have deliberated who was to be paired with whom. We have chosen and will call out the partners. When yours and your partner's name have been called, please find each other and have a seat."  
  
He turned and nodded at Professor McGonagall, who stepped forward and unrolled a scroll of parchment.  
  
"Neville Longbottom and Corey Mason."  
  
Neville sighed in relief and met with the soft-spoken Slytherin between the two groups.  
  
"Seamus Finnigan and Vincent Crabbe."  
  
Seamus's face fell as she sat, stunned in his chair. Snickering, Dean shoved him to get him moving, only to get his comeuppance in a few seconds.  
  
"Dean Thomas and Pansy Parkinson. Ronald Weasley and Blaise Zabini. Harry Potter and Althea McKay. Melissa Potter and Draco Malfoy." Until now, everyone had been moving relatively quietly. When Melissa heard her name called with Malfoy's, she blanched. Hermione nudged her and nodded in the direction of McGonagall. Melissa glanced pleadingly at her and shakily got to her feet. She made her way over to Malfoy and sat down wordlessly, looking determinedly at the three professors ruining her life. "Hermione Granger and Zachary King. Parvati Patil and Gregory Goyle. Lavender Brown and Millicent Bulstrode."  
  
By this time, everyone had met up with their partner and was sitting silently beside him or her.  
  
"Now, you will spend free time with your partner, you will do your homework with your partners, you will meet your partner's friends," Dumbledore explained. "At the end of every week, all of you, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and I will get together and determine how this project is coming along. Also, if your partner gets a detention, you will spend your evening in detention, as well."  
  
There was an angry outburst of mutterings at this new development, which were silenced by McGonagall. Dumbledore nodded and waved his hand.  
  
"You have two hours now to spend with your partner," he said. "Go ahead and get to know them."  
  
As everyone around them got up bitterly, Melissa glanced at Malfoy for the first time. She was startled to see him staring interestedly back at her.  
  
"What?" she asked impatiently after a few minutes.  
  
"Nothing," he replied nonchalantly. "Where do you want to go to talk?"  
  
"I don't care," Melissa muttered, crossing her legs and looking away.  
  
"What about the Quidditch Stadium?" Malfoy suggested. "There's never anyone there."  
  
Melissa's eyes flicked to the bracelet she had received from her friends at Sullivan's, then to Malfoy's stormy grey eyes.  
  
"Fine," she answered shortly, getting up and surprising the blonde. "Let's go there."  
  
A/N: Sorry this chapter was so short. I had a bit of writer's block and on top of that, I'm flying down to my friend's house tomorrow and I won't be able to update for two weeks. But don't worry, I'll be writing a lot, so I should have a few new chapters when I get back. Hope you enjoyed the teeny chapter!!!! 


	23. Getting to Know the Enemy

A/N: **MAJOR NOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ** If you haven't read this since I fixed everything on July 21, 2003, read the whole story again!!!!! I changed a TON of stuff, and there are major OotP spoilers so if you haven't read the 5th book (I don't know why you wouldn't have read it by now! It's been two months!!), then don't read this fic until you do, or you'll be in for a few surprises!!!!! Thanks to: alecatq: I'm so glad you like this story as well as the Whose Line HP fic! Yay! Don't forget to keep helping me on that fic, by the way! I need TONS of suggestions!!!! BTW, happy birthday!!! (I read your bio!) Lenai Riddle: Sorry! I changed EVERYTHING on the twenty first of July. You would have to reread the whole fic to really get it or you'd be (as you are) really confused!!!!  
  
Chapter 23: Getting to Know the Enemy  
  
Melissa led the way to the pitch, along the way musing why the Slytherin quietly tagging along beside her wasn't being his usually drawling, insulting self. They reached the deserted stadium and found seats near the front of the bleachers.  
  
"So . . . should you start or I?" Malfoy began smoothly, glancing over at the Gryffindor girl after ten minutes of bitter silence. Melissa glanced sharply over at him, but saw none of the usual animosity he normally showed on his pale face.  
  
"Go ahead," Melissa sighed, leaning back against the seats behind her and resigning herself to the task. Malfoy cleared his throat before beginning.  
  
"Well, my birthday's on February 13, my favourite colour is green, my favorite class is Defense Against the Dark Arts; I can't stand Snape; I don't particularly like peppermint humbugs; I love Quidditch; despite public opinion, I'm not always a spoiled brat; also despite public opinion, I do like Muggle things-music, books, movies; my least favorite class is Divination-"  
  
Melissa snorted.  
  
"That I can understand," she muttered, causing Malfoy to let out a laugh.  
  
"I know! She's the biggest fraud I've ever seen!"  
  
"At least we agree on one thing," Melissa remarked, glancing over at the laughing Slytherin next to her. She was startled to see a side of Malfoy that had never been shown before. She shook her head, releasing the thought, and gazed out over the pitch.  
  
"So, I've told you a lot," Malfoy said, looking at Melissa.  
  
"Oh, yeah, a lot of completely random things," Melissa replied sarcastically.  
  
"I never said I was logical," Malfoy said, holding up his hands.  
  
"That's for sure," Melissa retorted.  
  
"So . . . your turn," Malfoy said, looking at her.  
  
"Well," Melissa began, "I love Quidditch; my favourite class is Charms; I hate Snape and think he needs to take a shower; I sort of like Transfiguration . . ."  
  
The two hours they had to talk flew by quickly, and the two soon found they had many things in common. For example, they both loved the Muggle movie Sister Act with Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith, although Malfoy had only seen it a few times. When they realized their two hours had passed about half and hour before, they made plans to meet the next day to work on their homework and talk some more. They stood up to head back to the castle when Malfoy's eyes focused on something beyond Melissa.  
  
"What is it?" Melissa asked, her brow creasing in curiosity.  
  
"Who is that?" Malfoy asked, pointing to a spot down on the pitch. Melissa whirled around and saw a small group of people pointing back up at her and Malfoy. She turned back to Malfoy and shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. Let's go find out."  
  
He nodded in agreement and the two opposites headed down to the pitch where the group of people where waiting. Melissa and Malfoy stepped out into the sunshine on the field about twenty yards from the group. Melissa had been watching them as she and Malfoy walked out. When she saw who they were, she gasped and stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"What is it?" Malfoy asked, turning to her.  
  
"Oh . . . my . . . goodness . . . Merlin, wha-?" Melissa whispered, barely audible and completely incomprehensible.  
  
"Mellie!"  
  
A/N: I am sooooooo sorry this chapter is so short and sucks so much. I really wanted to get it up soon because I was taking sooo long to write it. Good news, though: I just got a huge inspiration the other day when I read an old note that my friend Lauren passed to me during a study hall at my old school. So, the next few chapters will (hopefully) be coming out more quickly than these past few. For now, hope you enjoyed the chapter!!!  
  
BTW, if you're really desperate for a laugh, please go read my Harry Potter/Whose Line Is It Anyway fic. I'm gotten some really good feedback on it and maybe you'll like it too!!! (I know, I know, horrible selfish advertising . . . what can I say? It suits me. ;-D) 


	24. An Irish Surprise

Chapter 24: An Irish Surprise  
  
Melissa stood, staring open-mouthed, as the girl with sun-streaked blonde hair and the tall, handsome boy both grinned at her, eyes sparkling. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and their partners, Althea, Blaise, and Zachary stood next to them, Melissa's friends watching her with smiles on their faces, and their partners watching with curiosity in their eyes.  
  
"Oh . . . my . . . Caysie? Jeremy?!" Melissa began slowly then ended up shrieking through her excitement. She screamed and ran at her best friends. She flung her arms first around Caysie, then Jeremy, laughing unbelievably.  
  
"I've missed you guys so much!!! What are you doing here?" Melissa demanded when she finally let go of Caysie and Jeremy. No one noticed Malfoy slip away, smiling slightly. Melissa's two friends from her old school grinned.  
  
"Well, we were contacted by your headmaster and asked if we wanted to come and visit," Caysie explained.  
  
"And, come on," Jeremy interrupted. "It's not like we're going to say no to come and visit our best friend, whom we haven't seen for months!"  
  
Melissa grinned.  
  
"Well, I think it's time for me to make a few introductions," Melissa said, remembering that her brother and two Hogwarts best friends were there. She stepped back and gestured to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Cays, Jeremy, this is my twin brother, Harry, and two of his best friends - and two of mine, too, come to think of it - Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione smiled at Caysie and Jeremy.  
  
"Ron, Hermione, Harry, these are my two best friends from Sullivan's, Caysie Johnson and Jeremy Zurchensky."  
  
Jeremy and Caysie grinned at Harry, Ron, and Hermione and reached out their hands. Harry cleared his throat and jerked his head in the direction of the three Slytherin partners standing uncomfortably. Melissa started.  
  
"Oh! Oh, I'm sorry!" Melissa remarked, turning to the three outcasts, "Jeremy, Caysie, this is . . . Althea McKay, Harry's partner; this is Blaise Zabini, Ron's partner; and this is Zachary King, Hermione's partner."  
  
Caysie and Jeremy grinned and shook hands with the three Slytherins.  
  
"Um . . . sorry if I'm being rude or anything, but . . . their partners?" Jeremy asked curiously.  
  
"Yeah, you see, our Heads of Houses recently set us up with partners from Slytherin House to promote peace between the two houses -" Harry explained before Hermione interrupted.  
  
"Slytherin and Gryffindor, our house, are massive rivals."  
  
"Shush, Hermione," Harry mumbled. "Anyway, we have to spend almost all of our spare time with our partners."  
  
"Oh, okay," Jeremy said softly.  
  
"Got it," Caysie added, nodding her head.  
  
"So, how long are you guys here for?" Melissa asked excitedly, linking her arms with Jeremy and Caysie as they headed back to the castle, Harry, Ron, and Hermione hurrying ahead of them, talking animatedly to their partners.  
  
"Oh, we're only here for a few days," Caysie told her.  
  
"Yeah, Feran said we couldn't miss too many days of school," Jeremy explained. Melissa's face fell for a moment, then brightened again.  
  
"Oh. Well, at least I get to spend some time with you guys," she responded, thinking of the bright side of things. "It's been soooo long since I've seen you both!"  
  
Caysie laughed before she and Jeremy proceeded to give Melissa an update on everything that had happened in Ireland since she left.  
  
~*~ Meanwhile, up in Gryffindor Tower . . . ~*~  
  
Hermione, Ron, and Harry stepped through the portrait and hung up their cloaks. They found a seat on a couch as Hermione conjured up some hot chocolate for everyone.  
  
"Well, Mel's friends seem nice," Ron ventured, glancing at the other two.  
  
"Yeah, they do," Hermione replied enthusiastically. "I can see why Melissa likes hanging out with them. They seem really cool."  
  
"Yeah," Harry muttered to himself, not seeming totally in tune with the conversation. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other worriedly.  
  
"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked, leaning forward towards her friend.  
  
"You don't like them?" Ron added.  
  
"No! No, it's not that at all," Harry corrected. "They seem very nice."  
  
"Then, what's wrong?" Ron questioned, his brow creasing.  
  
"Well, don't you two find it a bit odd that suddenly, Melissa's two best friends from her old school show up, saying Dumbledore contacted them to see if they wanted to visit?" Harry asked, a strange look on his smooth features. "I mean, it's not exactly normal for school headmasters to have a student's best friends from an old school come for a visit, you know?"  
  
"Yeah, you're right," Hermione mused, thinking deeply. "It is a little weird, now that you mention it. Even if Dumbledore did owl Melissa's old headmistress, how would he know that Melissa was missing her friends horribly? We didn't even know until this morning, when she looked positively miserable."  
  
"We still don't know why she was looking like that," Ron pointed out.  
  
"She told us she missed her friends," Harry reminded Ron.  
  
"But she never said why she looked so awful."  
  
"Much as I hate to admit it, Ron's right," Hermione declared. Ron looked triumphant for a moment before thinking over Hermione's remark.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Shush, Ron," Hermione ordered absentmindedly.  
  
"Any way we think about this, there's another aspect we don't know," Harry said quietly, looking around and making sure no one could overhear their conversation. "There's some fact in this visit that's hiding from us."  
  
"What could it be?" Hermione whispered.  
  
"Do you have any idea?" Ron added, lowering his voice.  
  
"I don't know," Harry replied honestly, his eyes darkening. "But in any event, I intend to get to the bottom of this and find out what this unknown piece is."  
  
A/N: Okay! This chapter is finished!!! Sorry it took so long. I got a major case of writer's block and I've been wicked busy with cheerleading and homework and everything else that comes along with high school. Review, I know you want to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	25. Farewell Oops

A/N: Sorry it's taken so very long to update, but I've had sooooo much going on in my life lately – midterms, my dad just had surgery, cheerleading competition, homework, etc., etc. Anyway, I'm hoping to update at least once a month from now on, with longer chapters to make up for the delays . . . starting next chapter. So, until next time, enjoy the chapter!  
  
Chapter 25: Farewell . . . Oops.  
  
The next four days ran by in a blur and soon, Melissa was saying a tearful good-bye to Jeremy and Caysie in the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts. They had gone to all her classes with her, eaten every meal with her, even gone to Hogsmeade with Melissa and her Gryffindor friends. The night before Jeremy had received a letter from the head of McKlaren House at Sullivan's, Professor Feran. The letter said Jeremy and Caysie had to return to Sullivan's by the end of the weekend if they didn't want to fail out of their classes.  
  
Hermione, Ron, and Harry accompanied Melissa and her friends to the Entrance Hall, as they had become fast friends with the two Ireland natives. They were all still talking animatedly when Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Feran, who had shown up at Hogwarts that morning to see her students safely home, came walking down the main staircase, talking like old friends (A/N: Wow, now that's what I would call a run-on sentence). The six students watched the three professors walk across the hall to them with open mouths and raised eyebrows.  
  
"Professor McGonagall, you know Professor Feran?" Melissa asked in amazement.  
  
"Oh, yes! And Professor Dumbledore, as well," the Transfiguration replied.  
  
"But . . . how?!" Caysie exclaimed.  
  
"Minerva and I were the best of friends when we went to school together, at Hogwarts," Professor Feran explained. "And Professor Dumbledore was our Transfiguration teacher. Merlin help him," the elderly professor added, laying a fond hand on Dumbledore's arm.  
  
"Oh, they were quite troublesome, I'll have you know," Dumbledore added at the students' confused looks. "I don't know how I managed to survive them. Of course, they were little angels compared to your father and his friends, Mr. and Ms. Potter, and your brothers, Mr. Weasley."  
  
Harry, Ron, and Melissa grinned.  
  
"Anyway, I do believe it's time to return to our school, Ms. Johnson and Mr. Zurchensky," Professor Feran said in her distinct Irish accent. Why don't you say goodbye and we'll be on our way."  
  
There were hugs, handshakes and tears between the six teens as they said their goodbyes. Melissa promised to come and pull the biggest prank on Francie Stamon to solidify her status as the Prank Queen. She would write Caysie and Jeremy to let them know when she was coming.  
  
"Ohh, Mel, we're going to miss you so much," Caysie whispered as she hugged Melissa again.  
  
"Well, I'll come to visit as soon as I can," Melissa promised again, wiping tears from her eyes.  
  
"Write soon, Mel," Jeremy told her as he embraced his friend.  
  
"Don't worry; I will," Melissa replied as Caysie hugged Hermione, Ron and Harry. "Oh! Um, here." Melissa handed Jeremy a thick packet of parchment. "Those are letters for everyone. Will you make sure they get them?"  
  
"Of course," Jeremy remarked, smiling. "Take care of yourself, Mel."  
  
Melissa smiled softly in return.  
  
"Well, I think the time has come for us to take our leave," Professor Feran said, lightly touching Jeremy's and Caysie's shoulders. "Thank you for allowing them to come visit, Minerva, Albus. And I'll be seeing the both of you soon."  
  
"You most certainly will, Alinora," McGonagall answered warmly, briefly hugging her friend.  
  
Professor Feran nodded at Caysie and Jeremy to follow her as she waved an enchantment over their bags. She turned and walked out of the hall with the two students and their bags following behind her. Just before they stepped out of the school, Caysie and Jeremy turned and waved, then disappeared.  
  
There was silence in the Hall for a few moments before the dull roar of students looking for lunch became audible and Dumbledore spoke.  
  
"Well, come, children. Lunch is approaching and I have been informed that the house elves have prepared one of my favorite dishes," he invited, ushering towards the Great Hall.  
  
"What's that, Professor?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
"It's a Muggle meal called a hamburger. Quite tasty."  
  
Melissa, Harry, and Hermione laughed at the headmaster's response. Ron looked confused.  
  
"A what?" he cried as his friends followed Dumbledore into the Hall. "Wait a minute! A what?!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Later that evening ~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Melissa, how has it been, being paired with Malfoy for the partnership?" Hermione asked her as they were doing their homework in the common room, setting down the book she was working from, Learning Ancient Runes.  
  
"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask you about him," Ron added as Harry nodded and pulled his chair closer. "Is he being a complete git?"  
  
Melissa looked at the three of them with a look of dawning horror on her face.  
  
"Bloody hell, Malfoy!"  
  
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, alarmed.  
  
"I completely forgot about him, what with Caysie and Jeremy visiting and everything!" Melissa pulled at her hair. She looked at her friends. "Do you know where the Slytherin common room is?"  
  
Harry quickly gave her directions while Ron laughed and Hermione sat contemplating something, chewing on a nail.  
  
"Thanks, Harry," Melissa said gratefully as she raced up the stairs to her dormitory. A moment later she came barreling back down the stairs with an Invisibility Cloak bundled in her arms. "Don't worry; it's mine, not yours," she assured Harry as he opened his mouth. "Ron, shut up!" she snapped as she ran towards the portrait hole, which only made Ron howl louder at the situation. Harry watched his sister disappear with an amused smile on his face. Then he turned to Hermione, who hadn't said a word.  
  
"What's wrong, Hermione?" he asked.  
  
"I'm . . . not completely sure, to tell you the truth, Harry," she replied. Suddenly, she gasped and her eyes widened.  
  
"What? What is it?" Harry demanded. Ron's laughter had subsided by now and he, too, leaned in to hear.  
  
"Malfoy!"  
  
"Yes, we've established that Melissa forgot about him," Harry replied crossly. "Now what is it?  
  
"No, Malfoy! He was with Melissa when they came down from the bleachers in the Quidditch stadium, but had left by the time we were all heading up to the castle!" Hermione explained, whispering for some reason, her hand covering her mouth and muffling her voice even further. "I saw him leaving right as Melissa was introducing Jeremy and Caysie to us. He had sort of a knowing, little smile on his face! He has something to do with Dumbledore knowing that Mel missed her friends, I know he does!"  
  
"You know, Hermione, I think you're right!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione gave him a withering look. "Not that you're not always right, because you are. I'm just saying –"  
  
"Ron, stop talking," Harry advised him firmly, but quietly.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"I think we need to have a talk with Malfoy," Hermione said decisively, picking up her book again. "And soon." 


	26. Would You Like A Surprise With That?

Chapter 26: Would You Like A Surprise With That?  
  
A/N: This chapter, I've decided, is for my good friend Lauren K (you asked for it for all of eight grade year) and for galagirl (you requested it by review). You'll see why soon. Enjoy.  
  
Melissa tore down the staircase and turned in to the Great Hall. She screeched to a halt and looked frantically around, scanning the Hall for either Malfoy or any other Slytherins. She was in luck. Or, as much luck, as she wanted to be in anything that concerned Slytherins. Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini were sitting and gossiping about some magazine. Melissa ran over to them and slammed her hands loudly on the table, causing both Slytherin girls to nearly jump out of their skin.  
  
"What the hell was that for, Potter?" Pansy spat venomously. Melissa couldn't resist.  
  
"Just like to see you jump, Parkinson," she retorted, a nasty smile on her face. Pansy rolled her eyes and turned back to Blaise. "Wait," Melissa responded to the cold shoulder. "I need your help."  
  
This came as a shock to both Slytherin girls, Pansy perhaps exaggerated a bit. She fainted and fell of the bench. Blaise's mouth merely dropped open. Melissa glanced down at Pansy's prone form before turning to Blaise.  
  
"Tad of a drama queen, I think," Melissa calmly concluded before turning to the other Slytherin girl. "Please, Zabini, I need to know where Malfoy is," Melissa pleaded, the urgency showing through in her voice. Blaise nodded.  
  
"Sure, he's up in the library," the girl replied as she pulled out a Muggle mystery novel.  
  
"Oh, thank you so much!" Melissa moaned gratefully.  
  
"No problem."  
  
Melissa glanced at the book quickly and added unconsciously, "That's a really good book, by the way."  
  
She had taken three steps before she realized what she had said. She turned back to the Slytherin table with a stunned expression on her face.  
  
"Whoa."  
  
Blaise looked up at her.  
  
"We need to talk and soon," Melissa said before turning and running out of the Hall. Blaise smiled softly before she opened her book.  
  
"Gryffindors are funny . . ."  
  
~*~*~ Ten minutes later ~*~*~  
  
Melissa burst into the library, but slowed to a walk after Madam Pince shot her a death if-you-do-anything-to-ruin-these-books-in-any-way-I'll-kill-you glare. She meekly mouthed an apology and walked quickly past her. She glanced left to right as she hurried through the library, scanning for Malfoy. Wait . . . blonde hair! That's him! He was sitting in an overstuffed armchair, reading a book. Melissa suddenly found herself incapable of doing anything but stare. She unconsciously began memorizing every feature of the Slytherin's face. She'd never seen him looking so peaceful. He wasn't wearing the usual Hogwarts robes, just a pair of jeans and a black tee shirt. His hair wasn't loaded down with all the glue the Slytherin typically used, but was mostly tucked behind his ears. Several, however, had escaped and the soft strands were resting next to one eye. [1]  
  
Wow . . . he looks . . . really different, Melissa found herself thinking. Horrified, she clapped a hand over her mouth and drew off behind a bookshelf out of Malfoy's eyesight. Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no, oh, no, oh, no! Oh, this isn't happening! I was not just . . . admiring Malfoy . . . Oh, dammit, I was! she agonized silently. She gave herself a mental slap before walking quickly over to the blonde boy. He looked up, startled, as she sat down in the armchair directly beside his.  
  
"Malfoy, I'm so sorry," she began apologizing. "It's just that I haven't seen my friends in months and then they show up here to visit for a few days and I've just been tryin to spend s much time as possible with them and—"  
  
"Potter, shut it," Malfoy demanded, leaning forward so the two were barely an inch apart. Melissa clamped her mouth shut and quite suddenly discovered herself staring into the other teen's eyes.  
  
Grey, but not in a bad way. Sort of like . . . silver, I suppose. Or storm clouds.  
  
"Stop apologizing," he went on. "I understand you wanted to spend time with your friends. Don't worry about it."  
  
Melissa wrinkled her brow, confused at the normally cold Slytherin's compassion.  
  
Malfoy smiled at her, which added to her shock even more.  
  
"I'm not that heartless, Melissa," he whispered to her. The fact he called her by her first name was making its way to her brain when Malfoy did something she most definitely did not foresee.  
  
He kissed her.  
  
Draco Malfoy, Pride of Slytherin House, was kissing Melissa Potter, the Girl Who Lived.  
  
There were warning bells flashing and ringing madly in Melissa's head and she knew she should pay attention to them . . . but for the strangest reason, she couldn't remember why and thus ignored them. She began to sink into the kiss just a moment before Malfoy pulled away. He traced a finger down her cheek and kissed her lightly again before picking up his book and walking out of the area. Melissa very nearly melted right then and there. She touched a finger to her tingling lips in amazement. His smile flashed through her mind and she decided it was a heart-breakingly gorgeous smile.  
  
~*~*~ Twenty minutes later ~*~*~  
  
Melissa walked, still stunned, into the Gryffindor common room. Hermione, Ron, and Harry looked up at her as she entered.  
  
"Oh, Melissa, did you find Malfoy?" Harry inquired. Melissa nodded slowly. She brought a finger up to her mouth and began nibbling on it nervously.  
  
"Hermione, can I talk to you for a minute in our dorm?" the redhead asked. Hermione glanced at Ron and Harry oddly before standing up.  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
The two girls hurried up the steps to their dormitory. Ron and Harry looked at each other, bewildered.  
  
"What was that all about?"  
  
~*~*~ Up in the girls' dorm ~*~*~  
  
"Melissa, what's the matter?" Hermione asked anxiously as she perched on the edge of her bed. Melissa muttered something completely unintelligible.  
  
"What?"  
  
Melissa exhaled a deep breath forcefully.  
  
"Malfoykissedme."  
  
"WHAT?!?"  
  
Hermione bolted off her bed and stared open-mouthed at her.  
  
"Melissa, you can't be serious!" One look at the Potter girl told the prefect she was. "How?"  
  
"Hermione, you didn't see him! He was so peaceful and sweet and forgiving!" Melissa explained, a pleading note creeping into her voice. "And his eyes, Hermione! Looking into them is like looking into his soul."  
  
"Mel, how do you know he won't turn you over to Vol—to You-Know-Who at the first chance?"  
  
Melissa shrugged.  
  
"I know he won't."  
  
Hermione was silent for a few minutes as she contemplated what Melissa had said.  
  
"Well, then there's only one question left to be asked," Hermione said finally. Melissa looked at her and caught the twinkle in her eyes. "How does he kiss?"  
  
Melissa grinned.  
  
"Absolutely ama—whoa!"  
  
She batted at the owl that had suddenly flown through the window. It dropped a letter into her hands before hooting once and flying off. Melissa and Hermione exchanged a confused look before the redhead tore it open. As she read, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.  
  
"Merlin . . ." she breathed.  
  
"What? What does it say?" Hermione asked anxiously, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. Silently, Melissa handed her the letter.  
  
"'That kiss was an invitation. Will you give me the honor of accompanying me to the Valentine's Day Ball that is being held this year? If you accept, kiss me at dinner. If not, hand this note back to me. Always and forever yours, Draco.' Oh!"  
  
Hermione looked up at Melissa, who had her hands covering her mouth.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked, carefully placing the note on a bare space on Melissa's bedside table.  
  
"I don't know. What should I do?" Melissa whispered back between her fingers.  
  
"Well . . . say yes!" Hermione exclaimed, grinning. "What's the worst that could happen?!"  
  
"Okay, then. I'm . . . going out with Draco Malfoy!" Melissa cried, laughing. Hermione threw her arms around her in a hug before Melissa pulled away, her face deathly pale. "What do I wear? What do I say?"  
  
"Relax! I'll help you with everything," Hermione reassured her. She glanced down at her watch. "Come on, we've got a lot to do in two hours!"  
  
~*~*~ Two hours later ~*~*~  
  
Melissa stared nervously at herself in the mirror as she tugged on one of her red curls. She and Hermione had applied a light, flavored lip gloss (watermelon) and some mascara. They had rehearsed what she would say and how she would say it. After close to two hours, Hermione pronounced her perfect, although now the time had actually come to her to do it, Melissa was having second thoughts.  
  
"Melissa, just go!" Hermione ordered after Melissa's fifth excuse, pointing at the door. "There is no way on earth I'm letting you skip dinner."  
  
Melissa paled considerably and she walked, trembling, out the door. The ten-minute walk to the Great Hall was quiet, as Melissa worried over what she was planning to do, Hermione smirked at Melissa, and Harry and Ron were massively confused by their friends' behaviour.  
  
Outside the Hall, Melissa's heart began pounding out a tribal war beat and leapt up somewhere in the vicinity of her throat. She turned quickly to Hermione, but before she could say a word, the prefect pointed sternly at the door. Melissa whimpered and walked reluctantly in.  
  
"Mel, Hermione, what's going on?" Harry demanded as they walked inside. Melissa managed a wobbly smile.  
  
"Nothing, Harry," she reassured. "Go ahead and sit down. I've got something to take care of first."  
  
Harry and Ron both opened their mouths to protest, but Melissa and Hermione pushed them in the direction of the Gryffindor table. Hermione then turned to Melissa with an excited grin on her face. She reached out and grasped the redhead's hand.  
  
"Don't worry; you'll do great," Hermione told her quietly. "And I'll be watching the whole time, too."  
  
"You and the rest of the school," Melissa added anxiously, looking around. Hermione laughed.  
  
"Nervous?"  
  
"Are you kidding?" Melissa asked weakly. "I'm petrified!"  
  
Hermione gave Melissa's hand a squeeze before whispering good luck and walking off after Ron and Harry. Melissa steeled herself and turned in the opposite direction, towards the Slytherin table. She walked purposefully towards the sixth years at the end of the table. Before she could say a word, however, Pansy spoke.  
  
"What do you want, Potter?" she hissed. Malfoy's head snapped up and Melissa detected a hint of worry in his eyes.  
  
"Stuff it, Parkinson, I'm not in the mood," Melissa replied scathingly. She turned to Malfoy, who had stood up by now, and pulled from her pocket the neatly folded note he'd sent her earlier. She stepped closer to him and fiddled with the note. He glanced down and saw it, and his whole body seemed to slump. He reached for it. Melissa hesitated and finally tossed it onto the table. She touched Malfoy's face with one hand and gazed into his eyes. Her heart was now thudding so loudly she was sure the whole Hall could hear it. She took a deep breath and leaned in and up. She closed her eyes and felt soft lips meet hers halfway. An electric thrill shivered through her body and she was oblivious to the murmurs and whispers that fled throughout the Hall. Melissa finally pulled away a bit and looked up at the taller Slytherin. He was smiling again! She felt her heart melt all over at the sight.  
  
"So . . . I take it that's a yes?" he whispered, tracing a finger down her face. She smiled softly and placed a hand on his arm.  
  
"Yeah, it is. Thanks for the invitation," she replied. Their lips met in another sweet kiss; this one broken, however, by the sound of a loud thud next to them. They broke ad looked at the floor. Pansy had fainted again.  
  
"Definitely a bit of a drama queen, that one," Melissa murmured. Malfoy chuckled and placed a kiss on her forehead.  
  
"Oi, ferret-face!"  
  
Melissa and Malfoy turned around to see a red-faced Ron and Harry stalking towards them.  
  
"Oh, dear," Melissa murmured. She and Hermione had failed to think about this when they were preparing.  
  
[1]: Concerning the description of Draco's hair, I was basing it off Johnny Depp's new locks at the Oscars. Go find a picture of him and give me the URL; he's gorgeous! 


	27. Guinevere and that Damn Flirt, Lancelot

Chapter 27: Guinevere and that Damn Flirt, Lancelot  
  
"Oi, ferret-face!"  
  
Melissa and Malfoy turned around to see a red-faced Ron and Harry stalking towards them.  
  
"Oh, dear," Melissa murmured. She and Hermione had failed to think about this when they were preparing. Malfoy's grip on her arm tightened protectively as Harry and Ron neared.  
  
"What the bloody hell d'you think you're playing at, Malfoy?" Ron hissed once they were close enough. Melissa saw Professor Lupin half-rise in his chair before Professor McGonagall pushed him back down.  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't understand the question," Malfoy responded coolly. "What do you mean, what am I playing at?"  
  
"Well, you've obviously got her under some sort of spell!" Harry exploded.  
  
"It would seem your association with Weasley here has caused for some of his heated temper to rub off on you, Potter," Malfoy shot at him. Melissa cringed inwardly and quickly stepped in front of Malfoy as Harry went to dive at him.  
  
"Melissa, get out of the way," Harry told her, his emerald green eyes smoldering with barely contained anger. Melissa shook her head.  
  
"No."  
  
"Melissa, move."  
  
"No."  
  
"Get out of the way!"  
  
"No!" she exclaimed stubbornly. "I won't let you hurt him."  
  
"Since when?" Ron asked.  
  
"Since I said so."  
  
"Why are you defending him?" Harry asked. "Look at him! He's a low-life, snotty, Death-Eater's-son, ferret-face!"  
  
"I'll thank you kindly not to call him that," Melissa replied coldly, her eyes flashing dangerously.  
  
"Now, if you two don't stop acting like a couple of twits, I'll be forced to resort to measures I'm sure I'll think about regretting."  
  
Ron's eyes widened.  
  
"You . . . wouldn't hex us?!" he cried, scandalized.  
  
"If that's what it came down to, to ensure you won't hurt him," Melissa told him. Just then, Hermione popped in between Ron and Harry.  
  
"Now, I'm sure there's some place for us to talk this out . . . civilly and without Muggle brawling?" she suggested, glancing up at the Head Table. Lupin, McGonagall, and Dumbledore were conducting a whispered conversation. Snape sat glaring at the five students standing at the Slytherin table. A moan was heard next to Melissa and Malfoy. All five looked over to see Pansy sit up on the stone floor and look around.  
  
"Wha—How—How did I get . . ."  
  
She trailed off and looked up at Melissa standing with her fingers laced with Malfoy's. With a loud, trailing sigh, she slumped to the floor again. Melissa stared at her for a moment before turning back to the situation at hand. A motion caught her eye. Professor Lupin was hurrying over to the fight waiting to happen.  
  
"Follow me, all of you," he ordered briskly before striding off. The five students followed after him hesitantly. They walked out of the staring eyes into the Entrance Hall. Lupin led them through several winding passages and a few hidden corridors before they stepped out from behind a tapestry to a short hallway on the fifth floor. There didn't seem to be any other way to enter the corridor other than that tapestry. Lupin gestured to a portrait a few feet away and walked to it. The painting was of a young woman, seeming to be in her early twenties. Her dress told a different age, however. She was wearing a very medieval dress, blue with white lace frills. Her hair was done up elegantly, curls piled atop her head. At the moment, she was snoozing gently, leaning against her frame. Lupin waited a few moments, then cleared his throat. Another minute. Lupin started tapping his foot. The woman stirred in her sleep and shifted slightly. Lupin sighed impatiently and tapped the frame of the painting. Nothing. Lupin looked decidedly aggravated and cleared his throat again loudly. The portrait snored on.  
  
"Guinevere!" Lupin finally said, his voice reverberating off the walls of the tiny corridor. The woman in the portrait jumped and looked at the six people in front of her in surprise.  
  
"Oh, my dear! Terrible fright you gave me, my dear Remus," she said, slumping against the side of her frame. After composing herself, she sat up straight and looked at Lupin.  
  
"Now, what can I do for you, my dear?" she asked, smoothing her dress.  
  
"I'd like to set a password for your room," Lupin told her.  
  
"Of course," she responded graciously. He nodded. Just then, she seemed to realize there were students watching this whole exchange. "Oh, hello, children!" she called, waving excitedly. "I'm Guinevere."  
  
"Like . . . Queen Guinevere? And Sir Lancelot?" Hermione asked tentatively. Guinevere rolled her eyes and tsked.  
  
"That Lancelot was an absolute flirt with anything in a dress!" she exploded. She then proceeded to rant about Lancelot in a very medieval sounding French. She took a moment to calm herself down before smiling at the students. "Now, what are your names?"  
  
"Hermione Granger."  
  
"Harry Potter."  
  
"Ron Weasley."  
  
"Melissa Potter."  
  
"Draco Malfoy."  
  
"Ah, well, lovely to meet you all and—"  
  
"Got it!" cried Lupin, who, up until now, had been silently contemplating something. He grinned at the students — a bit of a knowing grin, in Melissa's opinion — before turning to Guinevere.  
  
"The new password is unitas est vita," Lupin told Guinevere. Guinevere nodded and looked expectantly at the students.  
  
Latin, Melissa thought. Wonder what it means?  
  
"Unitas est vita . . .?" Melissa reported in a questioning tone. Guinevere beamed and the portrait swung easily open. Lupin ushered them inside. Melissa's mouth dropped when they stepped inside. The room was filled with plush armchairs in deep hues of red and green.  
  
"Slytherin colours," Hermione murmured, saying what everyone was thinking, "and Gryffindor."  
  
Lupin turned around to face them and looked them sternly in the eye.  
  
"Now, you five will sit in this room until you work things out and you two—" he said, pointing at Ron and Harry "—don't hurt Draco. That's an order. Now talk." With that, the Defense professor turned and walked from the room, closing the portrait behind him. The five students looked warily at each other for a few moments before each went to sit down. Melissa and Malfoy sat together on a dark red couch while Ron and Harry sat in red armchairs opposite them. Hermione sat in a green chair between the four.  
  
There was a stony silence for near to five minutes, Melissa and Malfoy glaring at Ron and Harry, who were glaring just as stubbornly back. No one noticed Hermione stand up and walk into an adjoining room. When she returned, she had a bottle of butterbeer in her hand. She sat down in the green chair she had recently vacated and twisted the bottle open. The cap came free with a slight 'pop.' Harry, Ron, Melissa, and Malfoy looked at her in surprise as she raised the bottle to her lips. Hermione looked over the rim at all of them and lowered it.  
  
"This is going to be a long night, I can feel it," she replied before taking a sip. Harry shook his head and looked at his sister.  
  
"Mel, why are you doing this?" he asked plaintively.  
  
"Doing what?" she replied.  
  
"This!" Harry cried, gesturing wildly at Malfoy. "How can you do this? Wait, he's got you under a spell, doesn't he?"  
  
"Potter, shut up," Malfoy snapped. "I have put no spell on Melissa, merely talked to her."  
  
"And bloody kissed her!"  
  
"Yes, well, that came a bit later," the Slytherin conceded.  
  
"But why, Melissa?" Ron whined pityingly. "Why this little toerag?"  
  
"I don't know," Melissa whispered, gazing at the rug. "It just . . . happened."  
  
Harry and Ron proceeded to glare daggers at the blonde intruder.  
  
"Oh, won't you two grow up!" Hermione snapped after a few moments of cold silence. "Harry, can't you just accept your sister is happy?"  
  
"What about Fred?" Ron interrupted loudly. "What about my brother?"  
  
"Oh, we broke up long ago," Melissa told him, waving her hand. "You really should read up on current events, Ron."  
  
"You broke up with my brother?!"  
  
"It was mutual," Melissa explained. "He'd met a girl his own age at his and George's joke shop."  
  
"Still!"  
  
"Ron, stop being so stupid," Hermione snapped at him this time. He glared back at her. She stared right back, one eyebrow arched. He finally looked away, glancing everywhere but her. Harry stood up abruptly.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"I—I need some time to think this over," he said, running a hand through his raven hair, causing it to stick up even more. Melissa felt—and probably looked—crushed. She had hoped Harry would at least try to accept the budding romance. Harry turned and strode out of the room. Ron waited a moment before glaring at Malfoy and racing after his best friend. Hermione stared wide-eyed after the two of them, before glancing guiltily at Melissa and Malfoy.  
  
"Go ahead," Melissa told her tiredly. Hermione stood up and swayed, either from the affects of the butterbeer or from uncertainty. She took a step and looked again at Melissa.  
  
"Well. Um, I'm going to go find them," she said unnecessarily. "In the meantime . . . uhhh, have fun and . . . uh . . . well, just don't do anything I wouldn't do!" She then turned and fled the room, her cheeks burning.  
  
"She could be very amusing to be around," Malfoy commented a few moments after the portrait swung shut. Melissa swatted his shoulder before he placed a kiss on her forehead. He wrapped his arms around her and they both fell into a much-deserved sleep. 


End file.
